The Darker Side
by Danyl The Mad
Summary: Harry was really messed up after the Sirius's death, sad, alone, dealing with new powers, and a voice in his head. Post OotP Powerful/Dark Harry, HarryxTonks
1. 1 First steps

**Chapter 1**

**First Steps**

Walking into the house at number four privet Drive, Harry could feel the tension in the air. He silently counted the seconds as he waited for his now probably livid uncle to enter the room. It didn't take long for the beetroot red face to appear in the doorway, hovering for a moment before unleashing the onslaught that could possibly burst an artery.

_Yea, my luck has always been shit, so why should it change now? There isn't just a slight chance he might have a heart attack and keel over?_ Harry thought, noticing that his uncle's mouth had started to move. How many years had he put up with this now? 15? 16?

"Now listen hear, you are in my house again and I will not have you hiring some freaks to intimidate me at a train station! Do you hear me, boy!? Your magic is unnatural and if you want to stay here then…"

Harry drifted off, not really listening to the usual sermon he heard every summer. Harry hadn't hired anyone, a couple of aurors and Mr. Weasley had warned Vernon not to be his usual, abusive self over this summer, that was true, but apparently, Vernon didn't want to change. Harry suddenly noticed Vernon was saying something about magic; how evil and destructive it was.

_Is it evil?_ Harry wondered. _Magic killed Cedric, that was evil. It had brought Voldermort back, that was evil. And then there was losing Sirius._ Harry felt a strange prickling sensation around his eyes. _But it gave me a new family; that was beautiful._ It had let him see his parents twice now; those had been the most beautiful moments of his life.

"Shut up." said Harry slowly, his voice soft.

Vernon's mouth fell open, looking as if it would crash through the floor, his face becoming scarlet. Not once in all his years had someone spoken to him like that.

"Listen here boy, I give the orders in this house!" he shouted, but Harry hardly noticed.

"You don't scare me anymore, Vernon. I have fought Voldermort, the Dark Lord himself. He has possessed me. I have survived. Do you know what that is like, Vernon? To survive? I don't think so, and after tonight, I doubt you ever will."

At the utterance of his last words, his eyes flew open. For the first time since the battle inside the department of Mysteries, he opened his eyes completely. The usual bright green was gone, instead replaced by an inky blackness. Cold and emotionless, inhuman, not unlike Voldemort's. Something had happened to him.

"You... you can't hurt me! Vernon stammered, "Not in my house! I've raised you since you were a child!" The man had always been an idiot, but now he had gone too far.

"You raised me?" Harry gazed around the entrance hall, as if seeing it for the first time, "You raised me in hell! Do you know what the problem with hell is? It burns. And houses like this can catch alight."

A small globe of fire materialized just beyond Harry's fingertips, as his words sunk into Vernon's thick skull. He held out his hand, palm up, as if offering his uncle the flame.

Vernon slapped at Harry's hand, causing the illusionary flame to flicker and die. Harry stared at his hand, watching as it turned an angry red. Vernon smiled wickedly.

"Not as tough as you think, are you boy?" he said as he raised his hand again.

_Bad move_, Harry thought. Looking his uncle straight in the eyes, he yelled "_push!"_

The resultant crash echoed around the room as Vernon flew into the staircase, the force of the impact causing the cupboard door to swing open. Harry's eyes narrowed in contempt.

"How long did you keep me locked in their as a child, Vernon? Do you know what it's like, to be stuck in that little slice of hell? I wonder, would you even fit?" Harry's voice was barely a breath. Vernon groaned.

"Raise a child in hell and you may end up with a devil."

"_Out,"_ he said, waving uninterestedly at the cupboard. The contents flew out of the tiny space with such force that many of them were embedded into the opposite wall, leaving all that was breakable broken.

"_Up,"_ he breathed, waving towards Vernon. The blubbering mass rose slowly, battering its way through the balustrade as Harry pointed at the floor in front of him.

"Good God, Harry! STOP!" shrieked Petunia from the safety of living room, her face pale. Dudley, ever brave, was cowering behind her.

"What is wrong with you!" she continued "You don't d…"

"Don't do this sort of thing?" Harry concluded. "It's not good to assume things, Aunt Petunia. You never knew me, and now, well lets just say I'll spare you the effort."

He smiled evilly. "_Bring,"_ he muttered. Dudley shot towards Harry, knocking his mother over as he flew towards him. He stopped a meter from Harry and was unceremoniously dumped on the floor.

Harry stared at the pathetic figure on the floor. Dudley resembled some failed experiment involving copious amounts of jelly as he lay quaking before his cousin on the floor.

"You know, Dudders, I don't hate you…" Harry's voice was still barely a whisper. Dudley looked up at Harry with the slightest glimmer of hope.

"However, I just don't care to keep you alive." The last word tripped something in Harry's mind. Some shred of the boy who he had once been, surfacing for an instant, his eyes blazing green again.

Harry paused. Was this that he was? Was he a killer? Another Tom Riddle? '_This isn't me, I am not a killer!_ As Harry tried to gain some hold over the dark emotions surging through his body, the front door crashed open, a charred hole taking the place of the lock. Kingsley Shacklebolt and Tonks rushed into the room, finding themselves staring down Harry's wand.

"What are you doing here?" demanded Harry. His voice was still soft, but hardly gentle.

"Our wards were triggered Harry! Where are they?"

Kingsley seemed unaware of the danger that the boy now represented. Harry grinned mercilessly.

"Who? The Deatheaters? With ,Voldermort, I assume. If you want to know if they are here, the answer is no."

"But then who was using wandless magic?"

"Take a wild guess." I hissed, and let Vernon drop with a mental command. The colour drained form Tonks' face.

"You did this? asked Kingsley.

"No," Harry drawled sarcastically, "Voldermort dropped by and seeing as he such a nice guy, he offered to get rid of my relatives for me. Of course I did it, you smegging idiot!"

"But why Harry?"

"Because I have more power than they can imagine and yet every summer I let myself become their punching bag, and for what! Ties of blood? They broke those ties the moment they first split my blood years ago, while you were having a bloody vacation from the dark forces, brought with the lives of my parents!"

Harry's voice changed, becoming loud and hateful, Kingsley and Tonks instantaneously picked up on the mood swing, becoming cautious this was not the same Harry that they had said good bye to at platform 9 and three quarters. They whipped their wands up to point at Harry. The green in his eyes had been fading slowly ever since they had entered. Harry could feel it growing again, the wild rage that gripped him so powerfully, so completely. It promised to take away their distrust, it offered him shelter, even if it was just temporary. He accepted its warmth and Harry's eyes turned black once more.

"Harry, you must come with us." Kingsley's voice was calm, the voice of an auror.

"Really? I don't feel any compulsion to do that and I have no reason to either. This past year the Ministry screwed me over with the media and got my godfather killed, and you want me to come with you? Not an effing chance." His voice was soft again.

"Well then, there is nothing else I can do. Harry James Potter, you are under arrest for the assault of these muggles, you will come wi…"

"Another bad move, Kingsley. _Repel_" Harry shouted the word, it burned his throat as he poured his rage into the spell. There was an odd, low sound and a misty bubble flew out around him, shoving Tonks and Kingsley backwards. They landed on either side of the now thoroughly destroyed front door with audible cracks as bones broke. I started to walk. Once through that door I could leave, be free.

Something snagged my ankle. I looked down. Tonks had reached out and was hanging on to my leg. Blood was trickling down her face from under her now purple hair, she was barely conscious. Once again the old Harry emerged, floating near the surface. It was as if he was returning to his body. He felt his eyes change. Green again, human once more, but the humanity brought the pain back too.

"Don't worry Harry! Dumbledore's coming." She whispered, eyes bright with something… hope perhaps? And with an effort at a smile, she fainted.

_Dumbledore, that arrogant git!_ It began again, the rage rose, his eyes began to darken. _But Tonks! No! I must stay human!_

"Shit, Tonks! What did I do?" His voice was panicky, but at least more human.

"I have to heal her, dammit!" In the rage it was so easy, he just had to imagine the result he needed and utter a word to focus his magic, maybe wave his hands. But now with Tonks bleeding… I fell to my knees and held her head.

_This is wrong! Why me? Why did I have to lose control like that?_

_Use your fear, __simpleton! _The thought sounded in Harry's head, but it wasn't his.

_What the hell is happening to me?_

_Stop whining. Think of what will happen to her if you fail to heal her. Use that to create your effect and then use a word to focus your energies_.

It sounded so easy, so nonchalant. But Tonks was bleeding everywhere and… I saw her funeral, her mother, everybody crying, but I wasn't there. I saw her tripping, laughing, her hair changing through the rainbow.

_This is what you'll lose._ It hissed in Harry's head.

"_NO_!" He screamed the word and he felt his magic swell as he summoned it. Harry pushed it, forced it, His fingers burnt as the magic surged through them into Tonks. He heard her bones knitting back into place as they healed, focusing on feeding more and more power into her body. And then there was nothing left to do; she was healed, everything perfect once again. I gently lay her down on the floor, her head leaving a large, discoloured spot on his shirt. Her blood spilled because of me, by me. Slowly shuffling backwards on my knees, I noticed Kingsley. _'I have to heal him too, I can't let him die as a result of what I've done.' _Trembling, Harry turned and lay his hand on Kingsley's chest, imagining his funeral, crying relatives, pain, misery and suffering.

"Heal."

The magic flowed once more and soon Kingsley was breathing normally again. Harry slumped, feeling weak and miserable, his mind becoming hazy, losing focus as the ardeline of the battle faded. A sudden noise startled him. Harry turned and was hit square in the chest by a stunning spell, and then, darkness.

**Harry** jolted upright in his chair, feeling rather shaken. He stared at the pensieve as if the silvery matter of the swirling memories might reach up and drag him back into the hell of that night.

"Mr. Potter, is that how the events of the night transpired?" the Minister of Magic asked as he stared down at Harry from his podium. Harry nodded, feeling short of breath, his mouth dry. Tonks, the blood, the misery…Why? He was pulled out of his thoughts by Ms. Botten remerging from the pensieve for the second time.

"What is your opinion Ms. Botten?" Fudge demanded.

"I would say that young Mr. Potter is innocent of both assaults, the one on aurors Tonks and Shacklebolt, and the three muggles, your Excellency."

"What? Why?" he spluttered. "On what grounds?"

"In times of great distress, a wizard's magic can act by itself, to protect the wizard. That is a commonly accepted fact. I believe that Mr. Potter's magic acted to protect him. After the battle at the ministry, he was distraught over the loss of Sirius Black, not to mention he suffered exposure to both possession and the Crucio curse. His magic reacted and sealed Harry away in his own mind, a sort of primitive, but powerful, occlumency, if you will. What was left was a sort of copy of Harry, and as the original began to re-emerge, the copy had to be destroyed. In the period of time while the original was still emerging and the copy was dead, there was no conscience controlling his emotions and actions."

"Are there any comparable cases Ms. Botten?" asked Fudge irritably, obviously trying to find a way discredit the best defence Harry had.

"Yes, mostly among the torture victims of You-Know-Who that we rescued after the war. During the re-emergence of the original person, they exhibited signs of great emotional distress, ranging from homicide to suicide."

Ms. Botten's tone betrayed none of her emotions but her face told another story, one that showed the occurence was never a pleasant thing to watch.

"And, how often does this happen? Among wizards, I mean?" a wizened old man with a hooked nose inquired.

"It is very rare. It only manifests itself in those who are naturally inclined towards the mind arts."

"But it has been pointed out that Mr. Potter is only of average skill, if not completely weak in the mind arts." Fudge was beginning to sound like Snape.

"Only in Occlumency, your Excellency. His wandless magic and creation techniques are quite another story."

"Thank you, Ms. Botten," sighed Fudge rather unhappily, "The court shall reconvene in one hour to announce the verdict."

There was a general shuffle as the wizards and witches exited the court room. Harry held back, waiting to speak with Ms. Botten.

"Ms. Botten, I would like to thank you for helping me, what you said in there, it's probably the only thing between me and Azkaban.

She turned and smiled at Harry. She was a slight woman, short and thin, but this in no way mirrored her smarts.

"Not at all Harry. It was all true."

Her voice was smooth and confident.

"I know, but when told by you, my story is a lot more believable."

She laughed merrily.

"Say, Harry, would you like to get some lunch while we wait? I would like to talk with you."

"Okay sure." Harry replied, he didn't have anything else to do for an hour, and besides, he did have a few questions to ask Ms. Botten.

Five minutes later, Harry was sitting at one of the cheap plastic tables that populated the Ministry's cafeteria while sipping coffee and eating a sandwich, the small witch sitting across from him.

"Do you think that it will happen again, Ms. Botten?" he asked her.

"Please Harry, call me Alexia. And do I think what will happen again?"

"You know, the whole making up spells on the spot thing, and the losing control."

"No, I don't think you'll lose control again, but…" she sighed heavily, "… the invention of spells is called creation, it is a talent and an ability. All wizards and witches can do it, but most prefer not to as there are already spells for nearly everything. You know how a spell is made up of three elements? Intent, magic and willpower? The result of a spell is then determined by expectation. That's the reason an animation spell will work on both a teddy bear and a rock. The wizard expects the thing he is animating to come to life. The extent of the animation is dependant on the other three. Are you following? This is all pretty high-level theory, so don't expect to understand it all to begin with."

"No, I think I understand."

"When wizards and witches are taught a spell, they are told what to expect."

"Okay, so when people use the killing curse, they expect green light and their target to die? But they need the intention and the willpower to see it through, as well as the magical power to do it, right?"

"Exactly! A perfect, if somewhat morbid, example. But when you create a new spell you must have the willpower to make your vision a reality because until you cast it, it doesn't exist. If you create one and mentally link it to a wand gesture it becomes easier, but you must get the gesture right just like any other spell."

"But then why do the more powerful spells have more complex gestures? Couldn't the creators give them simple movements?"

"They could have, but they didn't for the express purpose of preventing inexperienced wizards from casting them."

"Oh," Harry's mind was reeling, this made sense at some level but most of the time Harry just found himself nodding.

"Don't worry about it too much, just know you have a rare talent. This theory about spell creation and casting has filled many books and taken up the lives of some researchers, so don't expect it to be easy."

"Um, thanks. But you're sure that I won't lose control again?"

"Positive."

Following the meal, Harry was declared not guilty and allowed to go.

"However," added Fudge, "there are certain conditions. One; Mr. Potter may not visit any of his relatives for at least another two weeks…"

That was one condition that Harry would be happy to fulfil - he had had more than enough of his relatives. Now that he knew his potential, he planned to take control of his life.

"… and he must be, at all times, in the presence of a guardian who will be able to subdue him if he has a relapse."

No real surprise there. It seemed that Fudge was trying to make Harry's life as miserable as possible, seeing as he no longer had the grounds on which to expel him.

"May I make a suggestion as to whom this guardian should be Minister?"

Harry looked up at Ms. Botten with surprise.

_What is she up to?_ Then he felt it, the gentle touch of Legilimency. Harry resisted the urge to shut it out. So far Ms. Botten had proven honest and well-meaning, so he decided to see how this would play out.

_Besides, you could always brain burn her senseless if she went too far._ It was that little voice again, echoing through the depths of his mind. While Harry was wondering where the thought had come from, a brief muttering among the wizards broke out. The Minister spoke.

"Certainly, Ms. Botten. Your insight should prove valuable." Remarked Fudge, with something resembling a sneer.

"In that case, I recommend Nymphadora Tonks as Harry's Guardian."

This was followed by a near out burst from the assembled wizards.

"May I ask why?" Fudge inquired after calming the seething mass of people. "When Potter has already proven wiling to attack her?"

"Firstly, Mr. Potter attacked what he perceived as a threat while in a state where control over his actions was impossible. Secondly, it was Tonks who brought Harry back under control by reacting so unexpectedly to his attack. Thirdly, I believe that the emotional stress of having an unknown guardian would cause Mr. Potter more problems, and fourthly, Minister, I believe that it is unlikely that Mr. Potter will ever relapse, and so previous actions against Ms. Tonks are irrelevant."

The minister bent down to confer with the other witches and wizards. After a minute or so he straightened.

"I cannot allow that Ms. Botten, as we believe th…"

"Oh, give the kid a break Fudge, you know that what Ms. Botten said makes sense."

The speaker was a surprisingly old man, with a beard to rival Dumbledore's.

Fudge's mouth hung open for a moment, before shutting with an audible click.

"Very well. We will ask Mr. Potter for his opinion on the matter."

_Well that was sneaky of Ms. Botten_. _She never mentioned I would have to sleep in my own room, seeing as a young man needs his privacy._

"Well, Mister Potter?"

"If Tonks agrees, then I have no objections." Harry was pleased with the Minister's reaction, watching as he went a bright shade of red while trying to restrain several insults worthy of a one-eyed carpenter squib.

Harry was starting to regret his insistence to ban all press in the court room, the article about Fudge would have been worth it.

Once the members of the court had departed, Harry started to feel slightly better. However, as he entered a seldom used corridor to escape the hordes of reporters awaiting him, a voice that called out to him and crushed all hopes of a clean getaway.

"Harry! Harry dear, can I have a quick word please?"

Rita Skeeter came scurrying up to Harry, Quick Quotes quill already scratching away. Seeing as she was the only reporter in the room, Harry assumed that she had snuck in, using her beetle animagus form.

"I'm feeling generous, Rita, so I'll give you two: Sod off."

Without waiting for her response, Harry continued walking.

"Don't be silly Harry, you know how you can damage your reputation by ignoring a reporter."

Harry halted, he could almost hear the smirk spreading across her face.

"That's better. Now, let's have a talk, shall we?" her voice was as nauseating as a squashed cockroach.

_So she wants to fight dirty? Fine. I won't be pushed around by the press's dung beetle anymore._

"Okay, let's talk about you losing your reporter's license for illegally entering the ministry and harassing a minor."

"Come now, Harry. There is no way you could prove such a charge and you know it."

"I disagree. All that would be needed is some of your, Oh, I don't know, blood on the floor?"

Rita laughed, looking at him quizzically.

"Harry dear, you can't attack me, you would be arrested just as soon."

Harry's grin was almost Slytherine in its deviousness.

"Wandless magic is untraceable, 'dear', so you must have cut yourself with your quill in your mad rush to corner me."

A look of slight shock and disbelief flew across her face, but was quickly replaced with her usual irritating smile.

Harry had no idea if he could use wandless magic without losing control again, but Rita didn't know that.

_Why is this happening more and more around me?_

Harry was about to tell her to bugger off again when there was a noise behind him. As he turned, the doors he had been heading towards opened. A now vibrantly red-headed Tonks walked in.

"What's taking you Harry? I don't have all day to guard you, you know," she laughed in an unnaturally cheerful voice.

"Only because you have to spend the whole day making sure I don't kill anyone," Harry replied in a matching tone.

"Exactly. Now come on, Kingsley can't hold the press at bay forever."

"Wait Tonks, I'm sorry," Harry called, all falseness gone from his voice. He really wanted to make sure Tonks that knew he meant it.

"What?"

"I'm sorry. For attacking you and Kinsley the other night."

"Oh, ok… Come on then, we ain't got all day, Kingsley's waiting," she said rather distantly. Evidently some wounds couldn't be healed by magic.

_You could use a memory charm._

_Dammit, who are you?_ Harry thought back angrily.

_I thought you would never ask! The Sorting Hat will tell you... _

As Harry left the room he heard a faint scratching noise, he turned to see a beetle sitting next to a very small green quill. If he didn't know better he could swear that it was smiling at him, and not a very kind smile at that.

_Oh smeg_, he thought as he let the door swing shut behind him.

"Hurry up, Harry, the press looks to be out for blood today," Tonks called as she went through the next doorway. Harry wondered if Tonks had overheard the conversation between Rita and himself, but before he could come to a decision, he saw that Tonks was right. The press had formed a huge circle around the opening into the Floo Hall, seemingly even more rabid than usual. Kingsley and Tonks both waved an invisible tunnel into existence and manuevered it towards the nearest fireplace. As Harry passed, Kingsley growled "Tonks' Place". The address, Harry guessed, frowning. He had been expecting to go to Grimmauld Place, not Tonks', but he simply nodded at the instructions and stepped into the green flames.

"Tonks' Place" he spoke clearly, but softly, trying to keep as much hot ash out of his mouth as possible. Harry felt the usual spinning effect as he travelled, before landing on his feet, Harry was surprised by this, he was usually expelled with more force than that, in fact he was so surprised he fell over onto the cream colored carpet, spreading the soot about as he started to get up. '_Tonks and her parents are going to hate me_' he thought, trying to get up. Just as he reached his knees, Kingsley stepped out of the fireplace and tripped over Harry, causing them both to land in a heap on the floor. Tonks only just missed them as she spun out of the green flames, but managed to trip over her own feet and add to the newly created clutter of the room. Harry was now feeling rather crushed, and to add to his dilemma, he realised he was being laughed at. He looked up to see Andromeda and Ted looking down on the pile of people. Harry growled, a foul curse and tried to push himself up, only succeeding in spreading more soot into the carpet.

"Get off, Tonks." Kingsley groaned. Harry felt the load above him lighten slighty and assumed that Tonks had picked herself up. Kingsley quickly jumped to his feet and hauled Harry up after him. As soon as he was standing, Harry apologised briefly to the Tonks' and Kingsley. Ted and Andromeda were still laughing, while Kingsley was doing his best to look indignant, and Tonks' hair was cycling through the rainbow.

"Hey, don't I get an apology?" Tonks demanded as the laughter died down.

"Okay," replied Harry slowly, "I'm sorry you tripped over your own feet Tonks."

Tonks glared at him.

"No really, Tonks, I am sorry, you're heavy," Harry continued. Tonks curtly replied by smacking him on the back of his head.

"What kind of body-guard does that?" Harry yelled, grimacing as he rubbed his head.

"An insulted female auror apparently." Kingsley suggested. Everyone laughed again and a few discreetly muttered charms cleaned up the most of the soot.

"Come on, Harry, we have to get to the old Grim House now," Tonks piped up as soon as everyone had exchanged greetings.

"What? Then why did we all come here?"

"Moody's idea, you know, 'constant vigilance' and all that."

"Constant insanity if you ask me," Harry muttered.

Kingsley pulled a rather crumpled piece of paper from inside his robe, unfolding it carefully. Harry eyed it wearily.

"Portkey?" he asked, "Can't we use something that won't make me feel cra…" He was cut off as Tonks simultaneously grabbed his arm and the portkey, feeling the familiar tug behind his navel. Hadn't wizards ever heard of the damn subway?

The tugging ceased after a few drawn-out seconds, and Harry found himself hanging upside down inside his Godfather's old house. At first Harry just sighed and waited to fall, but after about five seconds he opened his eyes and found himself looking at a puzzled Tonks standing, right way up, a couple of feet away.

"Very funny, Tonks, now let me down." Harry said, his glasses hanging off his nose.

"It's not me Harry," Tonks replied, looking at Kingsley questioningly.

"I'm not doing it either, Tonks." Kingsley said, looking slightly confused. "Maybe things are going to happen as Alexia predicted."

"What? You've met Ms. Botten?" asked Harry incredulously.

"Yup," Tonks said cheerfully, "Why do you think I didn't hex you on the spot? She explained everything right after the trial."

"Oh," said Harry thoughtfully. "So can you get me down now?" His voice had taken on a pleading tone.

"She did say it may be accompanied by the usual mood swings." Kingsley said factually.

"Yea, that's great now, GET ME DOWN!" Harry shouted. Tonks merely giggled.

"He's acting just like I did when it happened to me!" she said.

"I was never as bad as this, I was just really quiet for a couple of months." Kingsley said. Harry stared at both of them. Had he become invisible and mute?

"You're so boring, Kingsley." Tonks said in a teasing tone.

"Yes, yes, very touching. Not to sound arrogant or anything, but can we try not to forget about the upside-down savior of the effing magical world here!" asked Harry sarcastically.

"I wonder how long he'll be like this?" Tonks said to Kingsley.

"At the latest, he should be back to normal by the start of school." As Harry was now exceptionally annoyed, he started trying to right himself, managing to flip over onto his right side. Concentrating hard seemed to help, being the only thing he had learned from Occlumency lessons with Snape. His feet where still, however, a good foot off the ground. He tried this again but instead shot upwards and whacked his head on the ceiling. Harry swore, leaving Kingsley chuckling while Tonks collapsed to the floor in fits of laughter.

"Harry! Such language is unbecoming." Remarked Dumbledore as he entered the room, appearing as if from nowhere. Harry stared at him mutely for a second before recovering.

"GET ME DOWN!" he shouted at his headmaster.

"I cannot, Harry," replied Dumbledore sagely. Harry was dumbstruck.

"What do you mean professor?" he asked, summoning as much calm as he could.

"You are doing this to yourself, or at least your magic is. It's trying to find it's limitations and your own. The only suggestion I can give you is to do the opposite of what you just did," Dumbledore continued. Harry just hung there in disbelief.

_Oh well I suppose it can't hurt._

And with that he just accepted that he was floating above a room containing two aurors and his headmaster. His body leveled out, leaving him lying below the ceiling. He took a deep breath.

_This isn't so bad._

And with that he dropped like a rock, blacking out just as he registered his last thought.

_Damn, I guess it can hurt._


	2. 2 Finding your feet

Chapter2: Finding Your Feet.

**A.N Okay thanks to the guys who reviewed my first chapter, it really helps, and i think i am now addicted to praise, so please review this chapter, even if it is only to validate my continued existance. Second of all, this isn't my favourite chapter, it's a lot of character developement, but it must be done, the third chapter will be alot more... explosive. Have fun and once more REVIEW... please.**

"_Enervate" _Harry opened his eyes slowly, and was relieved to see that the ceiling had returned to it accustomed orientation. Harry vision was still a little blurry, but he could see enough to know that the orange hair woman leaning over him was indeed Tonks.

"Wotcher Harry" she said brightly. Harry groaned and slowly sat up, Dumbledore was looking at him from a leather armchair across the room.

"Harry, come have a seat." He said waving towards an empty armchair. Harry got to his feet and managed to make it to the armchair, before collapsing into it. He looked around the library of Grimmwauld Place. For a moment he thought he saw a shaggy dog sitting in the corner, but as he jumped forward to look at it, he found it was only a stool, used to reach the higher shelves. Harry's cry of joy died in his throat, he thought that maybe, he was back, maybe Sirius had walked out of the veil, his eyes watered, his godfather was dead, his father's friend, it was his fault, if he hadn't been so stupid… Harry's silent sobs caused tears to run down his cheeks, for the past few weeks after the battle at the department of mysteries, he had avoided all thoughts of his godfather, but now… the tears continued to stream down Harry's cheeks. He felt something rise inside of him something that he had only vaguely felt before. Dumbledore and Tonks saw that something was clearly wrong. Slowly a deep purple glow surrounded Harry, growing steadily brighter, Dumbledore's eyes widen behind his half moon glasses, and Tonks gasped, an aura usually only manifested when a wizard was in great distress. Dumbledore had only seen Harry's aura once, and even than it had been so faint he could not be sure. Of course he had known that Harry was capable of such a thing he was powerful enough,

but after years of being in the care of the Dursleys, his natural magic had been suppressed, and now it was coming to the fore.

"Harry, Harry, listen to me you have to calm down." Dumbledore actually sounded anxious.

"But, but, Sirius and it's my fault, and… SIRIUS!" Harry screamed his frustration and grief to the world. The armchair that Harry had been sitting on exploded into a shower of leather strips and wooden splinters. Dumbledore and Tonks had to raise shield charms to prevent themselves from being turned into porcupines. Kingsley burst through the door at the sound of Harry's scream he stared mutely at the boy who lived crying silently on the floor, surrounded by a furious aurora, was it… _purple_!Tonks recovered first she ran over to Harry and forcefully pulled him into a tight hug, preventing him from hurting himself, or anyone else. He didn't react at first, but slowly his aura started to fade, retreating into its wizard. Tonks just sat there, holding a silently crying Harry, who soon collapsed into darkness again.

"What the hell, were you thinking Dumbledore!" Tonks was shouting at the old man after taking Harry upstairs to put him on a bed. "Why did you tell us to bring him here!? Did you think he was over Sirius already!? Hasn't Harry been through enough?!" as she finished she glared at the headmaster, Dumbledore just sighed.

"It was for is own good Nymphadora, Harry has to face his grief someti…"

"Don't call me that! Harry has just been on trial for attacking his family, he then learnt he has new powers he has never heard of. And on top of that he has only just lost the closet

thing to family he has, and you want him face this all at once!" Tonks couldn't believe that Dumbledore the greatest magician alive, could be so naïve.

"I know that Harry is grieving Tonks, but we need him to put the past behind him so that we can all end this war before it gets out of hand."

"What? You're treating Harry like a tool, just so you can end this war? He is a God damn child!"

"I think we both know he's more than that Tonks, you saw his aura."

"He is still a child Dumbledore. And you know that." She said before leaving the kitchen. As soon as she was gone Dumbledore lowered his head and whispered softly,

"I know"

There was an uncomfortable silence in the room before the other members of the order decided to speak. Not surprisingly it was Molly Weasley who spoke up first.

"I'll bring Ron and Hermione around tomorrow, maybe seeing his friends will cheer Harry up." There was a general nod from the room but Dumbledore shook his head.

"Harry will need a little time to himself"

After another minute of uncomfortable silence Mad Eye Moody, who had been fidgeting in the corner, finally found his voice.

"Dumbledore, what happened." Dumbledore sighed, he knew he would have to explain everything, but he had hoped to avoid doing it tonight.

"Moody, you must know by now that Harry's magical development was stunted by his time with his relatives. I had hoped that the love of his family would give him a greater strength, I was wrong. All I did was weaken our only hope." The order members had

started to mutter amongst themselves, they had not wanted to hear that Dumbledore was human, they needed a leader, not a man.

"When Harry forbade me from going to court with him…" there was more muttering at this.

"I'm sorry Dumbledore, but why would he do that?" it was Arthur who had spoken this time.

"Because Harry still partly blames Dumbledore for Sirius's death." It was Remus that had answered the question, but Dumbledore nodded to show that he was correct.

"Exactly, Harry feels I have betrayed him, and he may not be too wrong. But you asked why he was acting so strangely. When I was banned from the court, I asked an old pupil, Ms. Alexia Botten to examine Harry's case." Dumbledore paused, but seeing as no one added anything he continued. "She found that his mind had locked Harry away in his own mind after the incident in my office, it was just too much for Harry to deal with. It is a relatively unexplored area of mind magic, as it requires that the test subject to be pushed to the edge of insanity."

Remus was looking like he wanted to run upstairs to Harry now but also wanted to hear the explanation out.

"No Remus, Harry is not insane, his magic prevented that." Remus relaxed slightly at Dumbledore's words but still looked anxious.

"Ms. Botten believes that as Harry started to return to his body, he lost control for a short period. It was during that time that he attacked Ms. Tonks and Mr. Shacklebolt."

"Dumbledore, we know this, but it doesn't explain either his creation of spells or the aura that Tonks, Kingsley and you saw."

"Ah, but it does Remus." That maddening twinkle had returned to Dumbledore's eyes.

"Once Harry started emerging his true skill at the mind arts emerged too, and his stunted magic started to heal itself. He is currently under going magical awakening." Dumbledore said as he marveled at the wonder of the boy who lived.

"Magical awakening? That only happens at four or five years old, Dumbledore!" Remus seemed to find the situation a little harder to believe than Dumbledore.

"Yes but, as we said before, Harry's magic was stunted, and so he never experienced it, at that age." Dumbledore answered.

"It would explain the mood swings and destroying the chair, not to mention hitting the ceiling." Everybody turned to Remus, he had arrived earlier than the others and had been told the events that had transpired. As Dumbledore started to explain to everybody just what had happened over the evening, the clock in the hall struck midnight.

Tonks had left the kitchen and ran up the stairs, tripping on the last on and almost falling back down again, her knee hit the wooden landing loudly. She got up and slowly half walked half limped into her room, the first door on the left. As she stumbled in she saw Harry sitting on her bed. She paused for a moment not sure how to react, she soon decided to revert to her teasing nature.

"Mister Potter, were you lying in wait for me?" she said trying her best to project an air of innocence. Harry smiled faintly.

"Hey Tonks, I just wanted to say thanks for earlier you know."

"Don't sweat it Harry, it's was no problem."

"No one has ever really done that for me, I mean my family could never care, Ron and Hermione are always caught up in their own problems, even though they are my closet friend. This past year, I've just felt so alone." For a moment Tonks could only stare at Harry, to never have any one there for you… Tonks felt a wave of anger that Dumbledore could ever have left such a beautiful person in the hands of the Dursleys.

"It was just that I thought I saw him, I thought that maybe he had come back, but he didn't. He's gone and it's all my fault" Harry was starting to sob again, the silent tears running down his cheeks. Tonks walked forward and wrapped Harry into a caring embrace. Harry held her back this time, silently crying into her shoulder. She wanted to tell him that he was wrong, that it wasn't his fault, but her throat was closed by grief. Tonks didn't know how long they sat there. She only knew that eventually Harry fell asleep. She lay his head down onto the pillows. She walked to the door, but before she left, she heard Harry start to call out Sirius's name. She looked back and was very tempted to go and lie with Harry, to comfort him while he slept, it would be totally innocent… she bit her bottom lip considering. No she decided, she couldn't use Harry's grief as an excuse to do that. Finally she settled on jus using a deep sleep spell. She stood there for another minute, just watching a sleeping Harry. She smiled as it looked like he was finally truly relaxed. Tonks sighed softly before turning away from Harry and going into the room that Harry had slept in originally. As she lay down she wondered if she

should have just stayed with Harry, she wanted to, she knew that, what she didn't know what Harry wanted. He most likely wants to spend his time with girls his own age, she knew almost every girl in England would love to be his girlfriend. She sighed once more, what was she supposed to do? She wanted to get to know Harry, but she was supposed to be his body guard. Tonks closed her eyes and sighed once again and fell into a troubled sleep.

Harry awoke the next morning feeling truly relaxed. It might have been the fact that he was no longer in a holding cell, or it might have been the fact that he had slept without nightmares for once. Or he admitted to himself that it might have had something to do with a certain pink haired auror. He looked around Tonks's room. He felt kind of bad for taking over her room. He felt even worse about crying in front of her. He had barely ever cried in front of any one, he couldn't even remember the last time he had cried in front of Ron. 'Great she probably thinks I'm a whining idiot by now' he thought to himself. _'Nah, women like men who can cry.' _

'Who the hell are you?' Harry thought to the thought. "God I'm going insane I'm sure of it." He muttered to himself.

'_Ask the sorting hat.'_ Came the reply.

"What kind of answer is that! You're in my god damn head!" Harry whispered.

'_Yea, well I don't like it too much either, I have to watch all those thoughts you keep having about the pink haired thing.' _

Harry couldn't come up with a decent reply to that and simply settled for blushing.

"Wotcher Harry." Tonks said as she entered the room. Harry looked over towards her, today she had black hair coming past her shoulders and amber eyes.

"Err, morning Tonks." Harry said his blush from earlier slowly disappearing. Tonks just stood there hands and giving Harry, what he thought was supposed to be a glare, but Tonks was doing it so badly he couldn't be sure. Harry looked around himself, trying to see what was wrong.

"What Tonks?" He said confusedly.

"I would like to get dressed Harry, so please leave, unless you want to watch?" Tonks winked at Harry, he then noticed she was still in the same clothes that she had on last night. Harry made a slight noise and made a quick exit, he could hear Tonks laughing as she closed her door. Harry made his way across the hall to the room he had first woken up in, before he went to Tonks's. He found that all his stuff had been brought up. He quickly took a shower and got dressed in some ordinary muggle clothes that were rather large as he had received them as hand downs from his cousin. He didn't even try to comb his hair he had long since given up on it. He left his room feeling, if not good at least not depressed. He felt that while he still felt terrible over Sirius, it was getting better.

'_Time heals all wounds.'_ Said the thought knowingly. Harry consciously ignored it. He continued down the stairs and entered the kitchen. Remus was sitting at the table along with Kingsley.

"Morning Harry." They said, badly out of sync.

"Hey guys, what's for breakfast?"

"Whatever you can find kid." Replied Kingsley, sipping his coffee, obviously not a morning person Harry thought. Remus however got up and started looking through the cupboards, coffee in one hand. The werewolf rummaged for a while and then pulled out a pack of bacon.

"How about bacon?" he asked turning towards Harry.

"Uh, shouldn't that be kept in a fridge?" Harry said giving the bacon a careful look.

"Enchanted cupboard, Harry haven't you heard of them before?" Tonks said also entering the kitchen. Harry shook his head and turned back to Remus.

"Bacon sounds good, thanks" Remus nodded and started to open the pack.

"Harry what are you wearing?" Tonks said as she sat down.

"Just some of my cousin's old clothes." He said.

"What is he a half giant! We gotta get you new clothes Harry."

"No, don't worry about Tonks, seriously."

"Remus, tell Harry he needs new clothes." Remus only laughed determined not to be drawn into the argument between Tonks and Harry. It was at this moment that an owl flew to Harry's rescue. It was a common brown owl, but the letter bore Gringotts seal, and was addressed to Harry. Harry glanced around the table, and seeing as everybody shrugged, he opened it.

_Mr. Harry J. Potter, we of Gringotts magical bank, regret to inform you that Sirius O. Black has passed away. _

_As you are mentioned in his will ,we require you to attend the reading, if you are unable to attend please send someone in your stead. _

_The reading will be held on the Monday after you receive this letter._

Harry just stared blankly at the letter for a moment. He had been able to get past a bit of the grief over Sirius, but to read it written in such a businesslike way… Harry saw his hands shake, he felt a surge of magic as he thought of Sirius, his god father leaving him something, all he wanted was Sirius to return god damn it! He didn't want gold! He wanted his parents! He wanted Sirius! The paper was starting to smolder around his finger tips. Tonks reached over the table and pulled the letter from Harry's hand before he torched it completely. In a second Remus was there, he grabbed Harry's shoulders and turned a trembling Harry to face him.

"Harry calm down, listen to me. Listen, you have to calm down."

Harry didn't want to calm down, but he saw the concern in Remus's eyes, and the way that a purple light seemed to be flowing from him. The shock of that snapped Harry out of his trance. He took a deep breath, and the glow started to fade.

"That's it, you alright?" Remus said. Harry nodded.

"Okay I think we have some explaining to do to you Harry." Remus continued. Harry just stared at him. Remus explained how his magical growth had been stunted by the Dursleys and how his magic had started to heal as he re-emerged. When he said that Harry was going through magical awakening, Harry had frowned.

"What is it?" He asked his voice rather weak.

"When a wizard or witch reach the age of 5 or 6, they go through magical awakening. In this time their magical flows more freely, this is when most accidental magic starts. It can last anything from one week to two months and during this time the child suffers mood swings." Remus sounded like a professor again as he explained to Harry.

"But, why am I going through it now?" Harry asked.

"Well as we said your power was stunted as a child and when it started to heal, it started to grow, at an accelerated rate, so that you'll reach the level you should have been at long ago. We think when you finish magical awakening the rapid growth of your power will stop and continue to grow normally." Remus paused to take a breath and than continued more slowly this time. "Harry, you will be far more powerful than you have ever been before, in raw magic you will be the best in Hogwarts. However your control will be rubbish." Harry just stared blankly at Remus, he wasn't meant to be powerful, Tom Riddle himself had said so in the chamber of secrets two years ago 'How is it that a mere child, with no extraordinary magical ability beat Lord Voldemort, the greatest wizard of our time?' those where Tom' exact words, he admitted that Harry was weak. Remus saw the look on Harry's face and so continued.

"Harry, it was not just the Dursleys that stunted our magic, when Voldemort's killing curse hit you, it must have destroy some of your magic, even with your mother's protection." Harry, could still only stare uncomprehendingly at Remus.

"Look, Harry I'm not saying that you're going to be the next Merlin moving montians with a thought, but you will be great."

"But, what does this have to do with my awakening?" Harry had finally found his voice.

"Well, usually Harry, when a kid throws out some accidental magic, he will get tired pretty quickly." Kingsley said, giving Remus a break.

"Because he's not used to channeling magic." Harry provided, thinking back to his first year at Hogwarts.

"Correct, the stronger the child is the sooner he'll be tired out. However in your case you have more experience, meaning you can sustain it for longer."

"That's why I fainted last night after I blew up the chair?"

"Correct again." Kingsley said with a smile.

"So, f I don't stay reasonably calm, I'm going to cause accidental magic?" Harry questioned.

"Yes, but as it's accidental, you don't have to worry about the ministry expelling you." Said Remus, picking up where Harry's line of questioning had been heading. Harry felt relieved and nodded to Remus.

"So, what happened to that bacon?" He asked innocently, as he smelt it burning. Remus sniffed once and dashed over to the stove, while the others burst into laughter. While Remus was muttering some charms over the extra crispy bacon, Kingsley asked what was in the letter.

"Sirius's will is going to be read on Monday." Harry said softly.

"I could go for you Harry, if you don't want to." Remus said as he carried the plates over to the table.

"No, I think I want to be there, but I would like it if you came with me."

"Sure Harry."

"Tonks, I would invite you, but seeing as you are meant to be watching me, I guess you have to be there." Harry said turning to the auror.

"No problem Harry." She said brightly as she started to eat her bacon and scrambled eggs, knocking over her glass of pumpkin juice in the process. Harry and Remus burst into laughter as she jumped to avoid the liquid.

"And while we're at Diagon Alley, Harry, we may as well get you some new clothes." She said wickedly. Harry gulped and turned to Remus.

"Help me?" he said pathetically, but this only renewed the former marauder's laughter. Harry spent the rest of the day, exploring Black House. He carefully avoided Sirius's room on the second floor though. He talked to Tonks as they walked through the house. Harry found that he really enjoyed spending time with Tonks. She didn't treat him like a child and often messed about with him just for the hell of it. He found that he was reluctant to let her go when he caught as she tripped, which was quite often. He blushed at the thought. She's probably just here because she's my warden. He thought, but still he found himself holding her longer than necessary. As they wondered through the immense house, Harry found that Tonks walked beside him as often as not, not a couple of steps behind like a warden, by along side, like a friend. They were walking past a large empty room when a thought hit Harry.

"Tonks, who owns the house now?" he asked as he entered a different room and sat on a dusty couch.

"No one, until Monday I guess." She said as she sat down next to him, raising another cloud of dust.

"Oh, okay."  
"Why do you wanna know Harry?" she asked turning to face him.

"I was just thinking, that we should probably try to clean it up, I mean Sirius started, but he wasn't here long enough to…" his voice trailed off. And gazed around the room once more.

"And besides I'm really getting tired of having to sneak past M.s Black's portrait every day." He said instead grining.

"Yea I know what you mean. Everytime I trip she wakes up and starts yelling at me."

"So it's just like being a trainee auror again?" They both laughed at the feeble joke.

"Good luck getting that thing off Harry. You have to be the Head of House Black to get it off." Tonks continued.

"Damn, who's that then?"

"Again no one until Monday, and then if Sirius doesn't name any one, it will go to the nearest relatives." Harry just looked at her, he didn't have a clue who that was. Tonks laughed at his look of incomprehension.

"Either my mother, Bellatrix or Narcissa…" Harry scowled as Tonks mentioned Sirius's killer, "… My mother was disowned so she out, Bellatrix is a criminal, so she won't count." Tonks, ticked of the names as she listed them.

"But Sirius was officially a criminal as well." Harry pointed out even though it made him sick to even mention that lie.

"Yes, but he was the head of the family before he was convicted, titles cannot be passed to a criminal, but they cannot be removed either. So that means that unless Sirius names his heir, Narcissa Malfoy will be the next head of house Black."

"That would suck, another name that Voldemort will be able o buy influence with."

"Exactly, that's why we'd better hope that Sirius has named someone in his will."

After that the conversation drifted onto more pleasant topics, like Quidditch which Tonks, turned out to quite a fan of. As the sun moved through the sky, they sat in a dusty near forgotten room in Grimwald place, yet funnily enough, Harry had never felt more at home.

The next few days past in much the same way, Harry spent most of his time with Tonks, just talking with her. He also spent some time with Remus but he had to leave on the second day on order business. Kingsley also stopped by though less regularly than Remus, as he had both work as an auror and a member of the order to handle. It was eventually Friday and in only three day the last will and testament of Sirius would be read. Harry was dealing with this better than he thought he would, although Harry now had to admit that it had nothing to do with being of a ministry holding cell or sleeping in a proper bed, and everything to do with a certain metamorph. He still couldn't decide exactly what his feelings for her were, but it was starting to feel a lot like a crush. It was on that Friday that Dumbledore paid him a visit. Harry was sitting in the library in a new leather armchair, that had replaced the one that he had broken, on Tuesday.

"So Harry how have you been?" Dumbledore asked from his chair where he was reclining. Harry sighed he really didn't want this.

"Look, professor, we both know you're not here to ask how I have been. Can we please just focus on that?" Harry's tone was strained as he avoided shouting at the old man. Dumbledore seemed taken aback by Harry's new tone.

"Is there something wrong Harry?" He asked in a fatherly voice. YES, yes there damn well is Sirius is dead and it is partly because you kept secrets form me! Was what Harry wanted to say, only the need to keep his anger under control stopped him, they were running out of armchairs.

"Yes, professor, there is a lot that's wrong. Voldemort's alive, my parents aren't, Sirius isn't, I'm doomed to fight him because of a stupid prophesy and one of the men that I respected most, let me down by not telling me everything I needed to know." Harry's voice was soft, as if Harry was trying to get it out without the emotions he was feeling, noticing and attacking.

"I am truly sorry Harry, please believe me, everything I did I believed it to be for the better."

"I know Dumbledore. Everyone is human, some of us just seem to be expected to be more. You out of reputation, me because of this prophesy, Riddle out of fear. We are all just men but everyone thinks that we are more." Harry gave a weak smile. He had thought about blowing up a Dumbledore, taking all his frustration out on him as he had looked at it with his emotions under control, he saw that then he would be accusing Dumbledore of the same thing he wanted to escape from, being more than human.

"Harry, I must apologize for everything I have put you through, to look at the world with such wisdom, is something no child should ever have to do." Harry looked at Dumbledore and understood at once that he truly meant it. He felt some of the trust that he had lost for Dumbledore return.

"War does terrible things Dumbledore. But there was a reason you came here wasn't there?"

"Yes Harry. You do know that you come of age in two weeks, don't you?" Harry hadn't actually thought about his birthday at all, he had been so focused on Sirius's will. Dumbledore gave a little laugh at the look o n Harry's face.

"I'll take that as a no. The point is you will then inherit Title of Potter officially. This means you'll have access to all your vaults, not just the trust fund set up by your parents, and assume control of your ancestral home."

"You mean Godric's Hollow?"

"No, I mean the Potter estate. Your parents fled to Godric's Hollow so that if they were found, the estate wouldn't be destroyed. It is an ancient manor that has been the hone of the Potters since the middle ages." Harry stared at the head master, never had he thought of returning to his home, a real home where his family had lived.

"Can, I visit it? Now, I mean, could you take me sir?" Harry asked.

"Alsa, no I cannot Harry. Only those with the permission of the current Head of the family can go there, or members of the family."

"But I'm family!"

"Yes but you don't have any means of transport, and I do not have permission from the current head so I cannot take you, until your birthday, that is if you will give me permission."

"Yes, that makes sense, in a convulted wizard logical kind of way I suppose." Harry wasn't really paying attention to the conversation any more. He had a home, and in a few short weeks he could go there. Harry was overcome with joy.

"Uh, Harry…" Tonks had just entered the room. Harry opened hiseyes to see that he was surrounded by a soft purple glow, and his feet were floating just above the floor. He grinned sheepishly and tried to calm down, but he was so happy that it seemed impossible, the best he could do was put himself back onto the ground. As he landed hr ran to Tonks and grabbed her into a hug.

"I've got a home." He whispered, he hadn't meant to hug Tonks, but he was so happy that he couldn't resist, nothing could go wrong. Tonks's blush quickly vanished, one of the advantages of being a metamorph. She quickly returned the hug.

"That's great Harry." She said as Harry released her with a stupid grin on his face.

"I've got a home." He repeated. Dumbledore cleared his throat loudly, dragging Harry's attention away from Tonks.

"Thank you. Harry, I'll see you in fourteen days." He said and then stepped into the fire place.

"Oh, and Tonks, can you stop by my office later today?"

"Yes sir."

"Good bye all." Dumbledore, then threw a handful of green powered around his feet and vanished.

"What was that about?" Harry asked, turning his attention back to Tonks.

"I've got no clue." Tonks said, but she had a thought that maybe she did, and it probably had something to do with Harry. Harry shrugged and smiled goofily again. Still shocked over the news that he had a home.

"Uh, Harry, not that I'm complaining, but you can let go of me now." Tonks said. Harry quickly stepping away from her, heavily blushing, he hadn't even meant to hug Tonks the second time. Harry spent the rest of the day in the library doing his summer homework. Once he got to his home he wanted to spend as little time as possible on homework. At some point Tonks came through, to say good bye as went to visit Dumbledore. Harry just waved from his chair, focused with a Hermione like discipline.

Tonks arrived outside Dumbledore's office by floo. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

"Come in Nymphadora." Called the headmaster. Tonks walked in with a glare fixed on Dumbledore.

"Don't call me that. Ever." She hissed back at him.

"Ah, sorry. Old habit from when you were a student, I fear." He replied.

"And just like a student I'm in trouble aren't I?"

"No, Ny… Tonks, sit please." Tonks thought about refusing, but decided that it would have been childish, which of course just made the choice even more appealing to her, but she accepted all the same, sitting in a large comfortable chair across from Dumbledore.

"Why do you to see me Albus?"

"Tonks, I'll be honest. What is happening between you and Harry?" Dumbledore looked at her over his half moon spectacles. Tonks was shocked by the directness of the question, evidently even Dumbledore could change his ways.

"Nothing, we just spend a lot of time together and he feels more relaxed with me, I suppose." She managed to say.

"Are you sure?" he questioned. Tonks was beginning to loose her composure.

"Yes I'm sure. I was there for him while he was grieving for Sirius, that's more than you were!" she bit back the rest of her comment which contained several comments she had learnt as an auror. Dumbledore's eyes turned down. Tonks realized that she was standing now.

"He asked me to stay away, Tonks, at the end of the year." His voice was soft, as if mumbling the excuse would make it more believable.

"Ever think why? You hurt him by keeping things from him Albus. He lost a lot of his faith in you the day Sirius died."

"I know, I know, but how do I make that up to him?" Dumbledore returned his gaze to meet Tonk's. She sat down again.

"I think what you did today was a good start, Harry is a lot more mature than he looks, he knows you meant well, it'll just take time, he was torn apart when Sirius died." Dumbledore nodded, and then grimaced.

"I hate to ask this Tonks, but what do you feel for Harry." He winced as he asked this as if expecting a tongue lashing from his former student. When Tonks replied her voice was soft.

"I don't know Albus. I like having him as a friend, and I would like more, but, I'm scared too. I don't know what to do really, apart from follow Harry's lead." Dumbledore looked at her for a moment before speaking.

"You know Tonks, I think that is the first time I've ever heard you admit to being afraid." She smiled weakly.

"I wouldn't follow Harry's lead too much in this, he has never had a lot of experience in this field." Tonks just stared at the headmaster, was he… encouraging her?

"Ms. Alexia learnt many things when she searched Harry's mind for who should be his guardian." Tonks scowled at the thought of someone invading Harry's mind.

"Quite by accident, Tonks. I assure you." Tonks slowly nodded accepting Dumbledore's explanation. And then she broke into a childish grin, did he just say that Harry liked her? Dumbledore chuckled at Tonks grin. She had always been one of the easiest students to read without using Legilimency, her face was just too expressive. Tonks got up to leave, but paused at the door, turning to face Dumbledore once more and she asked.

"Albus, why are you…"

"Encouraging you to date Harry despite the age difference? To be honest, I believe that between your immaturity and Mr. Potter maturity, you will act about the same age." Tonks grinned again, the headmaster, despite his mistakes, was still a very wise old wizard she thought.

"And besides, I believe Harry deserves some happiness, after all he's been through, don't you?" He continued the usual twinkle returning to his eyes. Tonks left feeling a lot better that she had when she arrived, and now she had some plans to make, involving a certain young wizard.


	3. 3 losing what you never had

Chapter3: Losing what you never had.

**A.N Okay, thanks to everyone who reviewed, the critism is just as good aas the praise, it gives me alot to think about and really helps the story so keep it coming. This chap is one of my favorites but don't take my word for it, read! Okay and REVIEW when done. I need REVIEWS , hint hint nudge nudge, get the idea REVIEW... okay thats quite enough on with the show. Oh and by the way, the updates will be coming slower now, I've got exams now, and i've got to study (but maybe i can pass this off as creative writing studying hmmm possiblities...) okay, now you can read.**

Monday came as most days do, with sunlight through the windows and the smell of breakfast cooking. It also came with one thing that most days don't begin with. And that would be an unnaturally cheerful and vibrantly green haired Tonks jumping onto Harry.

"Wotcher Harry." She said brightly as Harry choked, trying to regain some of the breath that she had knocked out of him.

"Tonks, you're sitting on my chest." He managed to croak out.

"I know, and as soon as you promise not to run away I'll let you up."

"Why would I run away?" He croaked. It was far too early in the morning for Harry to be thinking.

" 'Cause today I get to take you shopping!" she cried with delight. Harry groaned, he had hoped that she would have forgotten about that.

"Okay, then, get comfortable." He replied, opting for the lesser of two evils, and closed his eyes in an attempt to return to sleep. Not an easy task, with an auror sitting on top of you.

"Then I'll have to ask Remus to finish cooking breakfast." She said. Harry's eyes flew open. That was a low blow. As a friend and professor, Remus was brilliant, as a cook the man had all the finesse of a buffalo in it's death throes.

"Fine, I'll let you drag me around Diagon alley, but I want a damn nice last meal." He said pushing Tonks off of him. She smiled cheerfully and went down stairs.

_That girl ain't right I tell you._

_That's rich coming from the guy who has a crush on her. _The smarmy voice said in his head._ Oh shut up._ Harry thought back, trying to figure out a way to throw a pillow at himself and not look like an idiot. Eventually he gave up and got dressed instead.

A couple of hours later Harry and Tonks were standing outside Gringotts, magical bank. Both a little soggy, it had been raining when they arrived, but it was only the tail end of the storm, and it had soon stopped. The streets around them were damp and slippery, and that smell that always comes after a rain was heavy in the air, fresh earth and moisture. As the sun re-emerged from the clouds, Harry couldn't help but think that it was a truly marvelous day.

"So what's the plan." Harry said gazing up at the white pillars, with something approaching dread. He knew that in a few moments he could be hearing Sirius's last words, that was if all the other beneficiaries had arrived.

"Well, how about ice cream?" Tonks suggested, seeing the look of dread on Harry's face. Harry nodded, relieved at the reprieve, no matter how short. They walked over to the ice cream parlor, the sounds and sights of Diagon alley seeped into Harry. He felt relaxed, partly due to the weak glamour that Tonks, had cast over him. He could walk for the first time in the wizarding world and not be stared at, it was like being free of criticism for the first time.

As they reached the ice-cream parlor Tonks ordered for them and they sat down outside. Harry tried to think of something to say, something witty, something intelligent, hell he'd even had settled for vaguely interesting, but the words eluded him.

_Any help would be appreciated _Harry thought, growing desperate.

_Oh no, I think it is far more fun to watch you squirm._

_Hey! Remember whose head you're in!_

_Oh get over it… besides, she's looking at you now._

Harry jolted out of his conversation in his head.

"What's up Harry?" Tonks asked, she was looking at him with her head tilted slightly to one side, her green hair falling across her face.

"Nothing Tonks, really" He replied, trying not to stare at her, but he found it hard, as if his eyes were pulled towards her face.

"Look, Harry, it's okay to miss Sirius. I miss him, he was the only cousin I would even admit to having, but we gotta get past loses like that."

"I know, but he was the closest thing to a family I've ever had, to have him come into my life, only to be ripped away…" He looked up from the table into Tonks's eyes, "I don't know if I want to get over him, I want to cling to him every moment, as if it will bring him back." Tonks stared into Harry's eyes, the bright green a sad hue, all hope fading, as if the world no longer held any promises for him. She passed, wondering if the words she was about to say were appropriate.

_Screw it, he needs someone to care for him_ she thought.

"Harry, you'll always have me. I know we don't know each other well, but I…" she paused, no that would be too much to say right now.

"… but I loved Sirius as well, we both have that." She paused once more.

"And just wait until you hear some of the stories I could tell you about him when he was at Hogwarts!" She said in a lighter tone. Harry look at her, and smiled a smile of such great happiness.

"Thanks Tonks, I would like that." He felt stupid after saying this, wanting to tell her so much more, but his feelings refused to be spoken. So they slipped into a calm silence. At that moment there were several soft pops, that was not unusual, wizards and witches had been appearing almost continuously throughout the day and so a few arriving together wasn't unusual. However the sudden silence, followed by screams was.

"Shit." Harry said as he leapt from the table, pulling his wand from his robes. Tonks was already up and running towards the screams, a grimace on her face. Harry followed, rounding the corner only a second or two after her. There were about twelve death eaters, throwing spells and killing in a seemingly random fashion. No one in the Alley was retaliating, they seemed only be concerned with their own escape.

'_Fine, with us, less people to get in the way._' Harry ignored the thought as he dove back around the corner to avoid a curse flung at him. He couldn't see where Tonks had gone, but he knew couldn't just sit behind a wall and wait for salvation. He rounded the corner again, this time with his wand at the ready, and a shield charm surrounding him. Several spells flew towards Harry, he dodged neatly as a silver spear shot past him, remembering what he had learnt from the battle at the ministry. He raised his wand and focusing his magic into his body, flooding every cell with a raw power he had never known he had possessed. He let loose a string of stunning and binding curses, using as many he could think, hoping that by varying the types he could bypass their shields. The death eater that he had been targeting stumbled back, but his shields held. Harry swore vehemently, this was going to be difficult. More death eaters turned towards him, targeting him because he had dared to resist.

Five curses flew towards him, two cutting curses, two bone beakers and a stunning curse. Harry dodge the stunning, both the cutting curses, but both bone breakers found there mark, one only clipping his shield, flying of to the side, the other was a direct hit and shattered his shield. Harry dived for cover as the death eaters uttered more curses.

'_Shit, now what?_' he thought furiously to himself.

'_You aren't the brightest are you?_' the thought replied, it's voice laced with sarcasm.

_Shut up._' Harry thought back in a sing song tone. At that same moment a curse hit the tree that Harry had taken refuge behind, there was an ominous creak as the wood shifted behind Harry's back, the smell of charred wood thickening the air.

'On _second thought, if you have any advice, I'm not going to turn it down_' Harry quickly amended.

'_Good, you have some sense, you may even survive this. Look at the two death eaters on the far right._' Harry peeked his head around the tree and found the two death eaters the thought had indicated, there was nothing unusual about them, aside from being the slavish servants of a psychopath, of course. They were standing close together, covering each other, while at the same time, using the shutters of the store's that they stood in front of, windows to provide some mediocre protection. Harry ducked back behind the tree as the death eaters spotted him and rewarded his daring with a couple of purple curse, that crackled and twisted through the air, moving rather slowly for spells. Even so Harry barely had time to raise the _protego_ charm, in order to deflect the curses, he wanted to keep the tree standing, to use as a last resort.

'_So what?_' Harry demanded, he was still in a bad situation and had almost lost his head. He could feel the thought growing exasperated with him.

'_Here, let me do it._' It replied.

Harry felt a cool presence slid over his consciousness, the sounds of the battle faded, the screams of victims and the crackle of curses, all disappeared. The smell of his sweat And fear, lessened before also disappearing altogether. His vision dimmed slightly and grew almost hazy, as if viewed through smoke. At first Harry was too shocked to do anything, but then he fought, trying to regain control of his body, but it

was hopeless he was too deep into his mind. He watched through his smoky version of vision as he leapt out from behind the tree, sweeping his wand in a wide arc,

"_Flagrate._" He heard his voice say, but it was distorted, as if speaking under water. A shimmer followed his wand's path, Harry knew that it was the heat distortion from the spell. But spread over such a wide arc, it would be useless, the death eaters shields would dispel it with ease. And besides the aim was off, it was far too low… the heat wave collided with the wet street, causing an eruption of steam, instantly obscuring Harry from his attackers. But Harry wasn't going to stay standing still, he used the momentum from his initial leap to run side ways, bursting out the side of his cloud. The two death eaters that the thought had targeted earlier were still focused on the center of the cloud, where Harry should have been standing. They were the only ones who could have seen him, he had kept the cloud between him and the others.

"_Reducto, Reducto._" The two curse flew of Harry's lips in quick succession, each collided with a section of wall right above the death eater's heads. The same sections of wall that had until recently had held up a huge awning. The bright orange and white fabric flew onto the death eaters, weighted down by the iron rods on each side.

'_Oh, well done, you have managed you improve their dress, but don't you think actually hitting them with the curse would be better?_' Harry's though was dripping sarcasm. The thought didn't reply, instead it threw one last curse towards the two.

"_Flagrate._" The canvas caught alit. Harry felt himself thrust forward into his body again, the sound came rushing back, the death eaters screams were clear, piecing the morning as a they burnt alive beneath the cheerfully colored cloth, their shields rendered useless. The smell hit Harry last, the rank stench of burning flesh as his spell devoured the death eaters. Harry stood there, looking blankly at the flaming canvas.

'_MOVE!_' the thought yelled in his head it sounded tired, as if taking control of Harry had cost it a great deal of strength. He gathered his legs underneath him and sprang backwards. There were nine death eaters left standing, one was lying on the floor not too far from an alley way. That was probably were Tonks had ran to.

'_Where are those friggin aurors?_' he thought.

'_Don't worry about that now, we seem to have attracted some attention._' The thought had returned to its standard state of nonchalant commentary. But it was right, a curse flew through the now thinning cloud of steam, and cracked the ground at Harry's feet. Harry was thrown onto his back but quickly rolled to the side. His eyes locked onto the death eater across the street. He was standing in front of a shop that specialized in organic potion ingredients.

"_Protego."_ Harry shouted as the death eater flung a red bolt towards him, the air sizzled with power, but Harry's shield held. The death eater stood mutely, shocked that a child could stop his curse.

'_The pot._' The thought hissed in Harry's head, imprinting the plan directly to harry's mind. Harry grinned.

"_Accio pot."_ He screamed pulling his wand towards him, to add urgency to the spell. The death eater reacted by staring at Harry as if he had gone completely mad. What he didn't see was that in the store behind an innocent herb, in a ceramic pot lifted up to Harry's eye level, before smashing through the glass as it rushed towards Harry. The pot continued upon its course, which took it right into the back of the death eater's head. The man flew forwards before smashing into the ground, a slowly spreading pool of crimson blood, appearing around his head.

Harry's only regret was that an innocent herb had been sacrificed in the process. Harry was suddenly flung to the side by an explosion by his feet. He hit the ground hard, rolling a little way before coming to a stop. His body pummeled by the cobble stones kicked up by the blast. He scrambled to his feet, and managed to dive into the nearest alley as more spells pounded the earth were he had stood.

'_Shit, I'm dead if I keep this up._' He thought.

'_Then try something new._' Said the thought, implanting another plan on Harry.

"You fight dirty." Harry muttered as he got to his feet again.

At that moment there was an incredible bang that was followed by a couple of screams that were soon cut short.

'_Sounds like the pink haired thing is angry._' The thought supplied. Harry mentally lowered the number of standing death eaters to six. Half down, half to go. He calmed his mind and focused, pouring as much of his new found strength as possible into his shield. A pale bubble took form around him.

'_Impressive, you learn fast._' Said the thought.

'_Okay, let's hope your plan works, this is my body we're playing with._' Harry thought as he sprinted out of the alley, turning towards the nearest death eater who stood, maybe twenty meters away. He caught sight of Harry's movement and turned his attention away from the corner that he had been carefully approaching, following two other death eaters. He spat out a curse, another red flash sailed towards Harry, who easily side stepped. The other two turned as the first started another curse, but Harry was close enough now. He leapt forward tackling the death eater. The other two shot off their curses, but missed badly, due to Harry's unexpected leap.

"_Stupidfy"_ he said as he landed on top of the death eater, his wand only inches from the man's face. The spell flowed into him point blank, not even leaving the wand before hitting its target. The death eater went slack, and Harry quickly rolled to the other side of him. He lifted the man, holding him in front of himself, like a human shield. The two death eaters paused uncertain of what to do. Tonks emerged from around the corner that they had been approaching, she shot a curse that Harry had never heard before onto the ground right behind the two, it threw up shrapnel, splitting the stone into jagged splinters as a crack shattered the air. The two dropped screaming, their backs a mangled mess of muscle, rock and blood. Harry dropped his hostage and had to turn away in disgust. Their screams were cut short as Harry heard Tonks use a stunner spell that knocked the two out.

"We're still three short." Harry said, regaining his composure and gesturing towards the bodies. Tonks grinned.

"I saw them, they got a little to close to Gringotts for the goblin's liking and th…" Her voice was cut off and she collapsed forward. Her eyes closing as behind her a black fog flared into existence. Harry smelt a damp, decaying stench filling the air that reminded him of a crypt. There was a low rushing noise as the fog gathered up behind Tonks and started to flow through the air towards a bloodied death eater standing behind her, evidently goblin aren't very thorough in the art of war. Harry's anger blossomed, raging to the fore. He ran to the side, throwing another flagrate curse onto the damp road, a warm steamy haze surrounded him. A couple of curse flew by him at random, but Harry was lost in his own world of hate.

_That bastard will die! _He raged in his mind, planning what he would do. He strode forward raising his wand and prepared to use his rage.

"_Blaze!"_ he screamed envisioning the death eater's blood burning, blossoming into sweet flames, Harry's retribution for daring to harm Tonks. The dark fog hung in the air, before breaking apart, dispersing in the air as the death eater's concentration broke. The death eater wasn't faring any better, his wand which had moments earlier been pointed at Tonks's back, had fallen to the floor. The veins in his neck and down his arms glowed bright yellow, his eyes rolled back and his mouth opened in a silent scream that would never be able to express his pain, as his own magic fed the now burning blood that coursed in his veins. All of a sudden a flame blossomed just on the left of his chest as his heart exploded. The glowing lines on his face and arms died as his magic left this world. His skin was blackened where the burning blood had coursed, and then as Harry watched the man fall for the last time, his face looked like a patch work cloth sown together with thick black thread.

Impressive the thought commented as the death eater hit the floor with what sounded to Harry like a deafening thud. The noise jerked Harry away from his horror. He ran forward to where Tonks had fallen, her green hair fanned out as she lay face down and un-moving on the damp street. Harry fell to his knees and rolled her over.

"Come on Tonks." He whispered urgently, as if his voice was enough to wake her up. The black fog had disappeared completely now.

"_NO!_" He screamed, remembering the spell he had created at Privet drive. He forced the magic, pushed it to his hands that held Tonks's head, he felt the burning sensation and then… nothing, it refused to enter Tonks. Harry screamed his frustration to an empty street. This wasn't fair!

'_Why, won't it work'_ he snarled in his mind.

'_That spell was both ancient and dark… without deep understanding of dark magic, it will be impossible to heal._' The thought had a tone that Harry had never heard from it before, it was awed. Harry didn't bother to notice. He had to do something! Call someone! Why didn't the wizarding world have a goddamn 911?!

"HELP ME!" he screamed, unable to leave Tonks, but unable to sit there and do nothing at the same time. Slowly wizards and witches appeared, staring around at the carnage. The streets had been blasted apart, windows shattered, several doors hung crookedly in their frames and to the side a still smoldering canvas was billowing out smoke, but even that could not smother the metallic smell of blood that laced the air. Harry could smell it, it had worked its way into his clothes. His left arm began to throb, as his heart continued to beat and the adrenaline faded. Every time he shifted his weight he felt splinters of various sizes bore their way into his flesh. His right ankle had swollen up, and he could fell the blood trickling from the cuts he had on his head.

As more and more wizards and witches crawled from the holes that they had hidden in, Harry felt the rage that had started to leave him return, like a tide turning. The cowards! The worms! These gutless cowards had hidden while two people had stood against twelve death eaters. They could have fought, the death eaters would have been over whelmed in seconds, but instead they left the task to a boy and a single auror. His aura flowed out and surrounded him, a deep purple hue, crackling with power that was unable to heal Tonks. The gathered crowd stopped their advance, muttering under their breaths. His aura spread. A voice in his head started was screaming at him to just vent his anger, to obliterate these inept cowards where they stood. But Harry couldn't he wouldn't be a killer… yea, right like he wasn't one already… No he amended, he wouldn't be another Tom. He wouldn't leave Tonks's side. He just sat there, holding Tonks's head in his hands, as blood and tears mingled on his face. Growing ever more frustrated, more angered. His aura, feeding of his emotions, was spreading, running through the cracks in the street like a purple stream, liquid power. He heard several soft pops, apparition. He considered turning around, drawing his wand and preparing for the attack that more death eaters would launch. But he didn't, he wouldn't leave Tonks, he couldn't fight while she was dieing, he would protect her, like he failed to do earlier. So he just sat there preparing for the worst. But it never came. Instead a voice rang out clear and in control.

"Raise your wand into the air." Harry almost laughed, that line sounded like the speaker had been watching too many cheap movies.

"Why?" His voice was soft.

"Because you are at the scen…"

"Why, do they send aurors, when I need a medic?" Harry continued over the man.

"You will receive medical attention when you comply with our…" The man started.

"No, Tonks will receive medical attention now, or I will burn every one of your nerve endings one at a time until you are nothing more than a blackened husk." Harry's back was still facing the man, and his voice was still soft, but the tone of his voice, combined with the fact that his aura was now moving with great purpose towards the source of the man's voice was enough to let him know he wasn't joking.

"You will not threaten me." He voice shook slightly, betraying his true fear, of course being surrounded by carnage can take one's confidence down a notch or three.

"Now place your wand on the ground and…" Harry had had enough, he flung his wand over his shoulder.

"You want my wand there it is! Now get a fucking doctor!" He screamed, his aura rushed back to envelope Harry in a near black cloud of power, sensing that Harry might need defense. Harry heard two men running forward. The captain must have given a silent command. They knelt by Tonks and Harry, one tried to start on Harry's left arm, but Harry shook his head empathetically, waving towards Tonks with the hand that wasn't in pain. The two muttered quickly as they examined her. Then one turned to Harry.

"We are going to take her to St. Mungo's, is that alright?" He seemed anxious, Harry took this as a bad sign and just nodded once. There were a couple of cracks as they disapparited. Harry slowly stood up. He winched as various cut and gashes were reopened, and every piece of shrapnel in his body burned. His ankle almost gave out as soon as he put any weight on it. He paused, considering.

_Healing this is beyond you, __that kind of magic requires finesse not brute power._ The thought muttered in the back of his mind. Harry had thought the same, and so settled on doing the next best thing. He drew the power in his aura back into him, flooding his system with power. All the pain was burnt away as Harry drowned it in his own strength. It was a temporary fix, but it stopped the bleeding and erased the pain. Harry slowly turned around, taking care to keep his face as neutral as possible, he looked at the gathered crowd. He thought they looked remarkably like sheep, all looking at him, he wouldn't be surprised if they suddenly started bleating. He gazed over them, this eyes lingering on the aurors, the late coming idiots. They were arrogant, assuming they had control over the situation. He turned away from them, and started walking back towards Gringotts.

"Halt! Where do you think you're going!" the gruff captain barked at Harry's back. Harry waved towards the smoking corpse of the last man he had killed.

"We are two short." He said as he continued towards the corner that the last death eater had come around.

"Without your wand? We will handle that! You are to remain here for questioning!"

_You should probably listen to him, he's an idiot, but he's the government__'s idiot._ The thought supplied.

_You're more talkative than usual._ Harry replied bitterly.

_Almost dieing a second time does that to yo_u. It replied.

_Wait you're a ghost_ Harry thought back, but all he felt was his own mind, evidently the thought didn't want to talk any more.

_You're so childish_. Harry thought just to goad it. He still felt nothing in return. He sighed, and then winced, his hold on his power had slipped when he was distracted. He was losing it. The wonderful numbing sensation seeping away, unveiling more and more pain. Harry's ankle suddenly collapsed beneath him, sending the boy to the floor. Several of his wounds reopened without the magic binding them, Harry gasped and desperately tried to draw upon his power again, but the pain was clouding his mind, he just could muster anything strong enough, and the pain was gradually getting worse. Eventually Harry gave up on trying to banish the pain, and instead focused on staying awake, he would not black out. He wouldn't give into the beckoning darkness. If he knew what he was to do in the future, he may have retreated into the darkness, saving his resolve for later, but as it was, he fought it. His vision was blurry, he could just make out the shape of someone leaning over him. He could here the faint tinkle of words. Suddenly he felt like he was being pulled through a rubber tube that was to small, and emerged into far too bright room. Harry tried to roll over to shield his eyes from the light, but his body protested, he groaned loudly as red spots danced across his vision. The medical wizards were pushing the trolley that he had been apparated onto. He heard a wizard mutter some spell and the darkness that Harry had been holding at bay swelled to swallow him.

Two hours later (an extremely long period for wizarding surgery.) a very sorry looking but still sleeping Harry was wheeled into a private ward, at the request of Dumbledore. Dumbledore had visited Harry's operation and had been shocked at the amount of shrapnel that the medics had had to pull out of the boy, almost half a kilo of wood, stone and glass, in various sizes and shapes had been removed before the healing had begun in earnest. His ankle had been a serious problem, a piece of glass from some point in the battle had wedged itself in the joint, and as Harry had continued to walk, dive and fly (if you believed the slightly embellished stories circulating in the wizarding world.), the glass had been ground up into numerous shards. In the end, his foot had been partly amputated, the joint cleaned, and the foot reattached. His head was fixed up, almost easily, with numerous healing charms. He had needed to have his fractured left arm and shoulder healed, which had taken only a few minutes. His stomach however was the worst, it was partially burnt and some shrapnel, stone this time, had sunk deep into it. It had taken almost and hour of extremely delicate summoning charms to get them out without causing more damage. And on top of that, two witches had been brought in just to keep him from bleeding to death. At the end of it Dumbledore stood talking with a witch, the head surgeon, who was looking far more pale than usual.

"I don't know how he did it Dumbledore, his body was punctured so many times he should have bled to death long before the arrival of the aurors." Her voice was weak and shaky, her strength drain, after performing spells that had saved Harry's life.

"He is more powerful than anyone had thought." Dumbledore said his voice soft. "He has truly grown into himself. I believe his Potter blood is shining through." The woman, who had slumped against the wall with exhaustion, narrowed her eyes at Dumbledore.

"Are you saying that you believe in pure bloods superiority…" her voice was sharp, being a muggleborn she had always resented pureblood superiority.

"No, but all magic has a thuarmency element to it, blood magic." He took a breath, "In purebloods who have a strong affinity towards the blood magics, it can allow them to benefit from their ancestors instincts, this is where the idea of blood superiority started." The witch still eyed Dumbledore suspiciously.

"Lily was gifted at healing, when Harry's magic felt threatened it reached through Harry's ancestry, looking for anything that could help, it latched on to Lily's healing inclined style of magic, and managed to impersonate it long enough for Harry to receive help."

"I have never heard of this before."

"Not many have, the mind arts and blood magics are rare gifts and most people are weak in them, so Hogwarts and most other wizarding schools don't teach them. The last wizard to hold both powers, in any amount of strength was Grindelwald." The witch's eyes widened at the mentioned of the great dark wizard that Dumbledore had defeated long ago.

"Although, if Harry can wield blood magics, it would explain his rather bold acts against the numerous evil events at Hogwarts over the years, the Potters have always been… active with the dark magics. It would also explain why he could cast the Patronus charm after only a few months of practice at such a young age."

"It would explain why he didn't die, I agree, but still…"

"He is powerful in his own right, which is another reason he didn't die."

"I don't think so, I think it had more to do with the woman they brought in just before Harry, he refused to be treated until they brought her in, the medics had just apparited back when he collapsed." Dumbledore nodded as the woman spoke, that did sound like Harry, refusing help while others needed it.

"What did they do to her Dumbledore?" the woman whispered.

"She was hit with an ancient curse, one that I had hoped was forgotten to this world, it pulls the life out of the person, and into the caster. It is not an unforgivable, only because it requires a lot of power and concentration and it is so rarely known." Dumbledore said. She nodded as she listened, during the last war she had grown used to hearing about new curses from Albus, all of them were dark.

"Seeing as the curse was interrupted, she should be alright, but I believe she will be in a coma for a long time, damage like this is not easily healed." He continued.

"Can you do anything?"

"No, you will have to find a way to heal it on your own, I fear that there was little research into the curse at the time of it's creation and due to it's rarity, no one has ever investigated it since." Albus's eyes were sad as he announced this, he had visited Tonks right before he had come to Harry, there was very little that he could do to help the peacefully sleeping auror. The witch nodded slowly, Dumbledore had always held her in high regard, she was a skilled healer and knew how to keep important things… confidential. This was why he trusted her with the knowledge about Harry that many, even Harry, didn't know. The witch nodded once more and bade Dumbledore a half-hearted pleasant evening as she left. Dumbledore, sighed he had to go to Diagon alley and see what kind of battle had taken place, with a crack the head master vanished.

"Evening Dumbledore." Miss Bones said as she approached Dumbledore.

"Good evening Amelia." He replied. He was standing in the department of magical law enforcement, he had been redirected to here as soon as he had arrived at Diagon Alley, even though he had only caught a glimpse of the street where the battle had taken place, it had reminded him of the old battles between the Order and the death eaters. He had not been told why he was to come here, and to be honest it had taken all his years of experience in politics not hex the auror in charge, the man made a mockery out of his work.

"If you would follow me please." She said turning sharply on her heels. Dumbledore's usually unflustered face frowned. The head of magical law enforcement didn't come to pick up visitors, so this had to be serious. As he entered her office he saw two other men had already arrived, namely Fudge and Ollivander, and sitting off to one side was Ms. Botten. Dumbledore gave her a glance, and she shrugged ever so slightly. Taking the hint Dumbledore reached out to her mind, placing his thought there.

_Why are we here?_

He felt her Legilimency enter his mind.

_I have no idea, how is Harry?_

He reached back into her mind as he sat down. Thought conversations like these were rare, as they require at least moderate skill in Legilimency, but they were impossible to track. Making them extremely useful to those who knew how. Dumbledore feed Alexia's mind with the information on Harry, before turning to the desk.

"Why am I here Amelia?" Dumbledore asked.

"You are here because I have serious issues with the spells you are teaching to your students Dumbledore!" it was Fudge who had spoken, Dumbledore shot him a withering look.

"And what spells would those be minister?" He asked tightly.

"We don't know! That's the problem!" His voice was loud but then again, Cornelius had always been more of a politician than a leader, and so resorted to volume when his vocabulary and logic ran out.

"Show him Ollivander." Amelia said coldly. Ollivander started muttering over a wand, Harry's wand, Dumbledore realized. Out of the wand tip, several smoky words appeared, the first being _Blaze,_ followed by _Stupidfy_, and nameless smudge, several curses and _accio_, all of which were bunched together, shifting places with each other.

"This is a modified version of the charm that I use during a wand weighing, it allows others to see the spells recently cast though the wand, the ones shifting position, are the ones that I can't easily put in order, and I believe the smudge to be silent magic that has no incantation." He summarily explained.

"See!" Fudge shouted, pointing accusingly to the first word, _Blaze_, "What is that, we can't find any reference to it!"

"I assume that by 'we' you refer to you and Amelia? Not to insult you minister, but neither of you have the ability to see spells as they truly are." Dumbledore murmured as he peered at the writing, slowly extending a steady hand to touch the word. Alexia raised an eyebrow, this was rare. Dumbledore was opening himself to the meaning of the spell. Something only a handful of wizards could ever do, it allowed a practiced wizard to learn a spell, how to cast it, what it did, what it sounded like as it was cast, everything, about the spell. It would be laid open before the skilled user. Of course, it had to be magical text that was touched, either in a tome referring to the spell, or a sort of magical writing, such as this. He gasped as he touched it. It was dark magic to be sure, but he could also see that it was Harry who had created it, in a fit of anger, desiring vengeance. It was an invisible, fast moving spell that only made a soft hissing on the tip of the wand as it was cast. If it hit a living target, and the caster had enough dark feelings to feed the spell, then it would tap into the target's own magic, using it to set their blood alight, focusing around the heart. The only relief for the victim would be death as his heart was consumed in a blaze of magic. It would require a strong caster as to overcome the target's magic's natural instinct to defend its wizard. This was a spell to kill in a very painful way. Dumbledore instantly knew that to defend against it, a witch or wizard would have to be calm and perfectly in control of their magic, any loss of control and the spell would snatch the magic and turn it to its own needs. It certainly supported his idea that Harry was inclined towards the art of thuarmency, controlling blood was very difficult.

"Good god." He muttered as he understood the spell. It was almost worthy of an unforgivable, but he doubted that it would ever achieve that level, it was too easily blocked.

"What is it Albus?" Amelia asked.

"A dark spell that ignites a wizard's blood until he burns to death." He said quietly.

"Ha! And just where did he learn such a spell, hmm?" Fudge asked arrogance bleeding into his voice.

"He created it." Dumbledore said quietly. Amelia paled slightly, and Ollivander nodded regretfully as if he had expected as much. Alexia however placed a question into his mind,

_Tonks?_

_Yes,_ he replied.

"Why would he do such a thing?" Amelia asked, eyeing the word.

"It was the last spell he cast in the battle." Ollivander volunteered.

"I believe he did it as revenge, to the death eater that cursed Ms. Tonks." Dumbledore said, already reaching out his hand to the smudge, it was a shield to protect from bone breaking and stunning curses, while dampening physical impact as well. Dumbledore let out a sigh of relief that it wasn't another dark curse.

"Just a shield." He said as everyone in the room looked towards him. Amelia nodded.

"Thank you, Ollivander you may leave now." The wand maker nodded and left, heading towards the apparition room.

"Dumbledore, I will need to enter this curse into the records, as well as how to prevent it and such, and then, I think we need to talk about Mr. Potter." She continued. Dumbledore nodded.

"If I may just have a word with Ms. Botten for a moment." He walked out the office without waiting for a reply.

"I think you'll need to have a word with Harry, Alexia that curse… It doesn't seem like Harry."

"Do you think there is something wrong with him?"

"Alexia, ever since Tonks told me how much trust Harry lost for me, I've been working to get it back, revealing things that I would have rather kept for later, but…" "You don't know this new Harry enough to manipulate him." Alexia finished. "Alexia… I love the boy as a son, but we need to win this war, otherwise there will be no future for people like him."

"You're playing a dangerous game Dumbledore, if Harry finds out that you're still trying to manipulate him, the results could be disastrous." She said, not afraid to look him in the eyes.

"I know, but we can't let him do something stupid, we can't lose him."

"Just be careful." She sighed. "Okay, Albus, I'll talk to Harry, but I won't be your spy, I'll do it for Harry."

Dumbledore bowed his head, as if he had expected as much.

"Have a good evening, Alexia."

"Night, Albus." She replied.

The head master turned and walked back into the office, it was going to be a long night.


	4. 4 Given half a chance

Chapter4: Given half a chance…

**A.N Okay me agian. Okay new chapter and new clues as to who the voice is, but as always with me, one clue breeds a hundred questions (as if you haven't figured that out.) of course they will probably be answered in the future, but REVIEW and i will make sure it happens... Sometimes I create questions that i didn't mean to! So REVIEW and you will get an answer. Thanks to those who do review and especially the french dark lord, with the secret of hot chocolate, my plans for world domonition are assured victory!! MWHAHAHAHA... er were was i? Oh yea REVIEW, and your name could appear here! (It has been be a funny/useful/good/serious/anything-else-i-can-think-of review) Other than that I have nothing to say, so read and REVIEW...please?**

**Sorry, I am an idiot, I am a swine, this is chapter four. My deepest apologies. I'll go hide under the bed now.**

**Grrr, if you're reading this it means i managed to fix the chapter, who would have thought it was such a mission?**

Harry woke up feeling unusually calm, he looked around the room with a detached gaze. He could remember that something bad had happened but couldn't quite place it. He tried to sit up and felt his body respond slowly, weakly.

_Shit!_ He thought, but he didn't manage to put any heat into it. He looked around again, this looked a hospital room, albeit a private one. He was in a hospital bed, which while being wider than the hospital beds at Hogwarts, still managed to give him a feeling of weakness and invalidity. He didn't like that. On one side of his bed was a window that overlooked a small wood, of course seeing as the window was magic the scene in it could be miles away.

Harry tried to piece the recent events together in his head, but found that there were blank spaces in his memory. He wanted to concentrate, but his mind seemed intent on wandering Harry flopped back down on the bed, instantly regretting it as his body flared with pain.

_Oh that's right there was a battle and something happened…_ Harry's thought was interrupted as a witch wearing the uniform of a nurse came through the door, carrying a tray.

"Good morning Mr. Potter." She said cheerfully, carrying the tray over towards Harry.

_This place is covered in wards._ The voice hissed in his head.

_It's a hospital, how do you think they watch over their patients?_ Harry said, unable to get angry at the voice stating the obvious.

_Even so, I don't like some maybe wards watching over us… it makes me nervous._ Harry was getting more and more accustomed to having a voice in his head, and talking to it almost seemed normal, almost.

"My name is Alice. How are you feeling?" She continued brightly, ignoring Harry's lack of reply, as she placed the tray over Harry.

"Smegged." Harry replied, "And why is my memory so screwed?" The nurse, Alice, frowned at his choice of words, but smiled a bright fake smile that made Harry sick.

_Why can't people just give me answers? I bet the next words out of her mouth have nothing to do with my question. _He thought bitterly to himself.

"Come on, let's get you sitting up, shall we?" She said, reaching out to help Harry into a sitting position.

_You were right, you've been in hospital often then? _The thought said.

_Yea love the bloody, place_ He drawled sarcastically in his head.

"You didn't tell me why I feel some messed." He commented looking the nurse in the eye. She shifted uncomfortably under his stare, before eventually speaking.

"We gave you a calming draft, it can have disorientating effects."

"Why?" He asked, still unable to put any anger into the word through the haze of the drug.

"We felt it might be best if you were to stay calm." She said still fidgeting under Harry's gaze.

"Oh." He said. He reached for his fork and stared at the food in front of him, he didn't feel particularly hungry, and besides his arm wasn't moving correctly. As soon as the overly cheery nurse had left the room Harry leaned back into the pillows.

_They are hiding something from you._ The voice commented.

_Yea, I know, but what? With this damn potion in me I can't remember a thing._ He felt it's silent consent, evidently what happened to Harry happened to it.

_You don't remember either do you?_ He thought to the thought.

_No, it is just as foggy to me as it is for you._

_Shit._ The conversation with the thought stopped there. Both left the other to search through their own vague recollections of the events. After a while the nurse returned to take away Harry's untouched food. She frowned at him but didn't say anything. She returned just after that, holding a glass of water.

"You must at least drink something." She said, handing Harry the glass. He nodded and took the glass from her. He was surprised and glad to see that his body was responding more easily now. He took a mouthful of water.

_Spit it out! _The thought screamed in his mind. Harry jerked up with shock, spraying the liquid all over the nurse.

_It's the potion! They must have put it in your food, when you didn't eat they put it in your water!_ The thought explained.

_How can you tell?_ Harry asked, the water had tasted normal to him.

_My sense of magic is sharper than yours._ The conversation had only taken a second, the thoughts taking almost no time to form and project. Harry glared at the soaked nurse.

"Get out, now." He said it slowly, his voice betraying his anger that he tried to hide. The woman turned tail and ran from the room, leaving a wet trail behind her.

"Shit." Harry said under his breath.

_You seem to be swearing quite a bit._ The thought answered.

_I have a lot to swear about_. Harry grumbled.

_Why did they try to sneak me a potion? It's not like I'm two, I could take it myself._

_Ah, but maybe they didn't want to run the risk of you refusing. _The thought replied.

_But, that would me they want to keep something from me and not for my own good… Shit, it was Dumbledore. He was going to question me while I was drugged up. That must have been it!_ Harry's train of thought was starting to run away with him.

_That makes sense I suppose…_ the thought seemed less convinced than Harry but couldn't come up with anything better.

_I'm outta here._ Harry said as he got out of the bed, sick of lying around. He looked down at the hospital gown he was wearing, scowling at it. He searched the room, but couldn't find his clothes.

_After the battle they were so torn up, they probably just threw them away._ He thought as he walked to the door. He stopped halfway, the battle, yes he remembered that, he was at Diagon Alley and… the memories hit him full force. He fell to his knees as he saw Tonks collapse before him, his mouth twisted with both pleasure and horror as he saw the death eater burn. He could saw it all again, and again. Eventually it stopped, the endless cycle of fighting broken. He lay on the floor gasping. No one was running towards him, there were no cries of alarm. Harry grinned mercilessly.

_Looks like I know what they don't want me to._

_Be careful, remember your body is still weak. _The thought added.

_I know, but I want some answers._

_Very well, but be gentle. _Harry couldn't decide if it wanted him to be gentle on his body, or who ever was unfortunate enough to get in his way. He pushed himself off the floor his body moving easily, as if the drug had been defeated when his memories returned.

He left his room, walking with purpose to nowhere. The truth was he had no idea where he was going, but if it looked like he knew, the chances were no one would try to stop him. He eventually found a desk with a human behind it.

"Where are my clothes and wand?" He asked politely but coldly. The man behind the desk didn't bother to look up.

"And you are?" he asked in a bored tone. Harry wished that he had looked at the number on his door then at least he wouldn't have to tell the man his name.

"Harry Potter." He said in the same cold voice. The man stopped writing with his quill and looked up, openly staring at Harry.

"Just tell me where they are!" He said allowing his annoyance to seep into his voice.

"Er, yes right away." The man started to shuffle through papers. Harry ran through his plan one last time.

_Get my stuff, leave on knight bus and get back to Grimmauld Place._ He thought, only hoping that it would be that simple.

"Your clothes were disposed off, as they were so badly damaged…" No big surprise there Harry thought, "… and your wand is in the custody of Albus Dumbledore." He finished. Harry frowned. That was unexpected, but not really a problem, Dumbledore would come looking for Harry soon enough, and besides if he got into any real danger he could probably summon enough wandless magic to survive. He nodded to the fidgeting clerk, and turned to leave, before realizing he didn't know were to go.

"Which way to the exit?" He asked simply.

"Er, I'm not really sure, " The clerk stammered.

"What? You don't know where the exit is? And you work here? That is a shame." Harry said in a mocking tone.

"No, I'm not really sure if you should be leaving, Mr. Potter." The man said finding his voice.

"And I am really sure I will be leaving." Harry said glaring at the man.

"Mr. Potter! You will return to your bed now!" Said a loud voice, Harry couldn't decide if it was female or male. He turned to see a mountainous woman bearing down him.

_Hell no. _Harry said seeing the potion that the she-mountain was holding like a club.

_I suggest we get out of here. Times may change but I'm sure this isn't the way nurses are meant to act._ The voice in Harry's head said.

_I agree. _Harry said as he turned and ran down the corridor.

_I must be going mad, taking advice from the voices in my head._ He thought as he tore down the passage, knocking over a cart of white sheets.

_It's either take the advice or die_. The thought pointed out.

_I'll stick will being insane and alive. _Harry said as he turned a corner knocking a nurse over. He looked over his shoulder and his eyes widened as the hulking woman bore down on him.

_Holy shit she can move_. He thought madly, as he rounded yet another corner. His muscles were screaming in pain, not yet recovered from his previous battle. A red stunner flew over his shoulder.

_Oh crap, she is serious_! He thought.

_Use a wandless shield._ The thought said helpfully.

_Wandless! Dammit, I've barely got silent spells under control and even then, I don't trust my control over them! Without my anger I could blow this entire corridor to hell._ Harry protested.

_Yes, ironic isn't? Now just do it!_ The voice was commanding, as if it knew something Harry didn't and it wanted to investigate.

_Oh, hell, it will only be our funerals. _Harry thought as he started to reach inside him.Harry summoned his power focusing on control and not force.

"_Protego!"_ He shouted. Harry grinned as the spell formed around him, looking as strong as ever. Harry felt a rush of power, a euphoric intoxication of his mind. He was aware of a spell breaking apart on his shield behind him. Now he was pissed, that would have hurt! He dropped into a crouch, turning as he fell and lashing out with his leg. It connected with the woman's shin, tripping her up. She landed with a crash behind Harry as he turned and ran back the way he came.

_Shit, what was that? _He demanded in his head.

_Simply put, you gave your magic to much power and it reacted to protect you. The theory behind it is amazing…_

_Yea, I'm sure it is, no save the lecture and help me find a way out of here!_ Harry said interrupting the thoughts explanation.

_I would turn left now. _It said, returning to it's nonchalant tone.

_Why? _Harry asked.

_Because Dumbledore is coming down that other passage._ Harry took the corner so fast he almost fell over.

_Shit! Why is he here? I want to avoid him until I'm outta here!_

_I don't know! Checking up on you maybe? _

_It's as if he doesn't trust me._ Harry thought. He noticed stairs leading down and took them two at a time.

Once on the ground floor Harry some found his way out, via a window. He made it to a dark alley way and collapsed panting.

_Fuck. Why did I want to escape so badly? I've never liked hospitals, but I have never ran away from one. _He thought.

_I have an idea, but we can't be sure yet… _The thought echoed in his head.

_Who are you? _

_I can't tell you Harry, I promised your parents, but ask the sorting hat, and if you still want to talk to me I will tell my whole story. _

Harry lay in the alley amongst the trash, shocked by this piece of news by the thought. He wondered why his parents had forbidden him from revealing himself to Harry. After a while he got to his feet, feeling woozy and sore but defiant, he turned to the hospital, glaring at it as if daring it to try and capture him, on an impulse he gave it the finger and broke into a harsh grin.

_I win._

Slowly he turned and walked away. He reached the street, and realized he hadn't thought about how to summon the knight bus without his wand.

_Do it wandlessly. _The thought suggested.

_Is that your answer to everything? 'Do it wandlessly' Next you'll want me to have a sex change and become a lesbian._ Harry muttered in his mind. He felt the voice laugh at this.

_You sound so much like James. Lily would glare at him whenever he said something like that._ The thought said in his mind in between mental chuckles. Harry's grin widened at the comparison to his father.

_So how do I summon the bus wandlessly? _He thought.

_Just call on some of your power and believe you need a ride._ It replied.

Harry shrugged but decided to give it a try, He raised his hand and reached into his magic, drawing forth as little power as possible, but it was hard the magic wanted release and was pushing against his control. He siphoned of a drop from the lake of power and summoned the bus. Suddenly lights burst into existence to his left. A bus slammed into his side but instead of a hard crash with broken bone it was like getting hit by a marshmallow. Harry looked up at the knight bus from where he had landed.

"Shit." He whispered, it seemed solid, but when he had been hit, it felt so soft. Stan the bus driver was laughing at him.

"You put a bit too much into the summoning mister." He said in a cheerful voice. Harry realized that his hair had grown down enough to cover his scar, so Stan hadn't recognized him yet. Harry got to his feet, wincing a bit as his body complained at the abuse it had been receiving. He climbed onto the bus and paid his fare.

"Where to?" Stan asked over his shoulder. Harry suggested a road a couple of streets from Grimmauld Place, it never hurt to be cautious. He moved to the back and lay down, as the bus started its crazy method of driving again. He pondered about the fact that his hair had started to grow again. He hadn't needed a hair cut since his Aunt had cut it and it had re-grown over night.

_Any idea? _He asked in his head.

_Maybe, since you're going through the awakening, it might have reset the basic enchantment you placed on your hair accidentally._

_Makes sense. _Harry thought, closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep despite the crazy motion of the knight bus.

Harry was woken when they had reached his street. He clambered dozily off the bus and was once again thankful that his hair now easily covered his scar. He grumbled as he set off towards Grimmauld Place. He stifled a yawn he turned the last corner, the cold air was almost the only thing keeping him awake. He arrived at Grimmauld place feeling tired. He walked up to the door and found that it opened easily, no locks at all. Harry scowled this was not good security. He took a deep breath and drew on his magic once more. The rush was there, the pressure in his ears, the giddiness and power it was so sweet. Harry slammed the power down, tightening his control, the last thing he needed now was to walk into the house glowing like a candle, the death eaters would love that. With his power just an impulse away and a very nasty curse in the front of his mind. He pushed the door open and walked silently into the house, his aura barely visible as a faint purple. He stalked down the corridor, seeing the light coming out of the library he prepared to jump in and hex everything with a pulse.

"Harry, is that you?" It was Alexia's voice, he pushed down the power, letting it bleed form his system.

_Is it her? _He asked the thought, recalling how it had identified Dumbledore at the hospital.

_I think so… her aura isn't as strong as Dumbledore's, but it is distinct._ It replied.

"Yea, it's me." He said entering the room, taking the seat nearest the fire. He was curious about why Alexia was here, but at that moment he was more tired and cold than anything else. He felt the gentle touch of Legilimency brush is mind.

_May I? _The thought asked, sensing Harry's disgust at the touch.

_Yes_ he thought back coldly, not in the mood to play mind games. He felt the cool presence slid over his consciousness again, not taking complete control like it had at the battle, but still slightly disturbing. As soon as the thought had enough control over Harry's magic it threw itself at Ms. Botten's mind. Harry couldn't see what image it pushed into her mind, but it was enough to make her jump out of her chair. The thought slid back deep into Harry's mind, he felt its strain, it wanted to lose control too, it was closely bound to Harry, his emotions were bleeding over to it. Maybe it was also bleeding over to Harry.

"My mind is my own. I let you see into it at the court room because you needed to, to best help me, but try it again and you and I will both regret it. I don't want to hurt you, but I will." Harry was shocked at the calmness in his own voice. Alexia was leaning over a coffee table, leaning on it heavily breathing deeply, beads of sweat had formed on her forehead.

"I didn't know you could tell when someone used Legilimency." She said softly, slowly standing and returning to her seat. Harry kept his face carefully neutral, he hadn't been able to. Not until the magical awaken started, but he didn't want to give that away just yet.

"Harry, is everything alright? I've heard you made had a… creative checkout, at St. Mungo's." Alexia said. Harry didn't mind the sudden topic change, and even grinned at the understatement.

"I felt fine and so I left." He replied still on his guard. Alexia raised an eyebrow.

"Where's Tonks?" He asked, not giving Alexia a chance to say anything. Alexia sighed, she didn't want to break this to Harry.

After explaining to Harry about the curse, and how Tonks's could be in a coma for anything from a week to six months (she had talked to the doctors at St. Mungo's, who were making remarkable steps towards understanding the spell.) Harry just sat there, slumping ever farther into his chair. This was not good. He felt himself sinking ever deeper into despair, Tonks was injured and it was his fault.

_Oh don't be so pathetic. _The thought said in his head_, she's the one in a coma, not you, she's the one who suffered the curse not you! So stop being so damn useless._

_And what do you want me to do? I can't heal her I've tried, I failed!_

_So? You don't need to heal her! Just do something! I can't stand sitting here, not planning to do something! Make sure that when she wakes up, it'll be a new world, one in which you CAN protect her!_

Harry felt the words ignite something inside him. He didn't care how long it took. He didn't think of how little training he had, or of how many he would kill, how many times he would come close to dieing he would do this.

_If I'm destined to fight Voldermort then what are a few death eaters._

The thought relaxed, it wanted Harry motivated, it was the only way that it would ever be able to train Harry, if he proved to have the skills… and maybe, maybe this time, his pupil would become a hero, not a villain.

Miss Botten, looked at Harry cautiously, she could feel great turmoil in his mind, but dared not investigate. She was shocked by the brutality of his rebuff when she had entered his mind, but she put his hostility down to the mood swings and stress, when she had examined his mind at the trial, she had found that he was not inclined to violence, but would rather have peace, and if he had to use violence to get there, so be it.

To a psychologist like herself, Harry's mind was a treasure trove, so many trials and hardships and yet, he still faced the world with a relative calm, he was still sane and human, he was a rare person indeed. She had decided to reveal as little as possible to Dumbledore, Harry's trust was hard to earn and easy to loss, and she would not let that happen.

Harry opened his eyes, done with whatever thoughts had been troubling him, and now instead of a resigned defeat and deep passion burned in his eyes.

"Alexia, can I visit Tonks tomorrow?" He asked. She was stunned by the calmness in his voice, but she was beginning to expect surprises from Harry.

"Yes, I'm sure you can, Kingsley has been assigned as your body guard. The will reading has been postponed until to tomorrow, if you weren't out of hospital by then Remus would have gone in your stead." She replied. Harry had already asked Remus to come with him, and didn't mind the werewolf sanding in for him, he was surprised that Dumbledore hadn't wanted to do it himself.

D_on't be so naïve Harry. _The thought said in Harry's mind.

_What do you mean? _

_Think about it, if he was making the staff at St. Mungo's feed you that potion, maybe he didn't want to question you, your mind would be too fuzzed, maybe he was trying to just keep you in there for a few more days._

_But Remus would have gone to the reading in my stead…_

_Which would mean that Dumbledore either thinks he can control Remus, or that he already does. _The thought concluded for him. Harry was repulsed by the thought of Remus becoming one of Dumbledore's tools, he would have to confront the werewolf about it.

Harry continued to talk with Ms. Botten for a while avoiding anything too important, but soon they ran out of topics and so Harry said good night and stumbled his way upstairs.

Harry awoke the next morning tired and stiff, aches seemed to ooze from his every pore. He considered just staying in bed, that was certainly more appealing than walking, however the smell of bacon was weakening his resolve. In the end he managed to crawl out of bed and limp over to the door, it was only then that he realized he had slept in Tonks's room.

_Man I'm sad._ He thought to himself as he limped down the stairs.

_I would say more along the lines of obsessed._

_Talking to myself was better when no one replied_ He thought back as he reached the kitchen.

_As I said before, it isn't to great for me either_

_Oh stop whining._

_You're a fine one to talk._

_Shut up_ Harry felt the presence exude smugness at having won the conversation, Harry swung the door open and peered into the kitchen. Kingsley was sitting at the table sipping a cup of coffee, Remus was standing over the stove, whether he was trying to cook, or just making sure that the food was burning correctly Harry couldn't tell, but he hadn't eaten in… How long had he been asleep in hospital for?

"Morning guys" he said as cheerily as he could manage as he limped over to the table.

"Hey Harry." Remus called as the stove started to smoke. Kingsley just grunted over his cup taking another long sip.

"What's black, shriveled and dead?" Remus asked

"Your cooking?" Harry replied.

"Correct in one Harry." He said putting a plate of crispy bacon, blackened toast and well done scrambled eggs in front of Harry.

"Sorry." Remus said.

"No problem Remus, I can handle a little burnt food." Harry said easily, and it was true, he was hungry.

"What time is the reading?" Harry asked as he started on his breakfast, trying to avoid the taste.

"About one was the time I was given." Remus said as he sat down with his own cup of coffee.

"So, how long was I out for?" he asked conversationally.

"just over a day." Remus supplied, before his eyes narrowed in good humored suspicion, "may I ask how you got out of the hospital so quickly? I asked Dumbledore, but he wouldn't answer, and from the twinkle in his eye I think it is something marauder worthy."

"I just kindly asked the way out." Harry said trying to look as innocent as a lamb.

"And…" Remus prompted, a grin spreading over his face.

"and I _might_ have jumped out a window… and tripped a nurse."

"A nurse? Harry I' m surprised at you!" He said, trying to sound serious, but failing as miserably as Harry had at being innocent.

"You didn't see her! I swear she had more giant blood in her than most half giants!" Harry said with a grin.

Remus just chuckled, Harry was so much like James… A little more mature, and a little less confident, but then again that wasn't necessarily a bad thing. But the worst was Harry's grin. It reminded Remus of a portrait that he had seen when he had spent a summer at the Potter household. It hung over an entrance in the east wing. It was of James's great uncle… Saarin, or someone. But it was that portrait that had scared the young werewolf, the way it grinned was so powerful, so confident, so in control… so dangerous. And when ever he saw Harry grin, it was that face he saw, that looked down from the portrait, a face that saw right to the soul of a lost werewolf… he shivered at the memory. But Harry also had something else there, it was small and almost unnoticeable, but it made him human.

After Harry had had a shower and gotten changed, he wandered around for a bit. He felt lost, this house had been so much comfortable when Sirius was here, or Tonks… Eventually he gave up his aimless wandering and entered the library. He looked at his homework and couldn't bring himself to do anymore work. So instead he wandered towards the back of the library. Where he found Remus hunched over a piece of parchment.

"Hey Harry." He said looking up from scroll.

"Hey Remus." Harry replied.

"How you doing?" He asked with genuine sincerity. Harry considered lying and saying he was fine, but he decided against it, he wanted to trust Remus, but first he had to be sure.

"I don't know." He gave Remus a weak smile, "I don't think I want to know. I just focus on the fact that Tonks is going to be alright, and hope that that makes everything worth it."

Remus looked at Harry.

"Harry, it wasn't your fault, no-one could have stopped that curse from hitting Tonks. It's amazing that you managed to hold up to twelve death eaters between the two of you. You have nothing to feel guilty about."

"I don't feel guilty! I just hate the fact that I might have missed Sirius's will. Those are his last words, and I almost missed them. I might have ignored him again." Harry was thinking to the shards of a mirror that lay in the bottom of his trunk, all that was left of the mirror Sirius had given him.

"You never ignored him Harry, and he knew it."

"I want to believe that Remus, really I do, but all I can think of is him falling through that veil because of me"

"Harry, listen to me!" Harry looked up amazed at the sharpness in Remus's voice. "Sirius didn't regret a single thing he ever did. The only time I ever saw him truly sad was when he couldn't do anything, when he was stuck in Azkaban unable to see you." Harry looked at Remus, he had never heard his voice so… in control.

"You saw him in Azkaban?" Harry asked unbelieving.

"How do you think helped him escape?" Remus asked. Harry could only stare, he couldn't imagine Remus doing anything so illegal, so against Dumbledore, the one who had helped put Sirius away. Remus laughed.

"You, didn't think that one marauder would let another rot away in the ultimate detention did you?" He said with a wide smirk.

"You helped him escape? How did know he didn't betray my parents?"

"Dumbledore was away, gathering help from foreign ministries, who do you think was talented enough to do the charm to change secret keepers? Of course once Peter betrayed your parents, I tried to tell Dumbledore, but the old coot refused to listen."

"But Remus you never seemed to…"

"Hold anything against him? I couldn't Harry, Snape is one of the few people able to brew wolfsbane potion, without Dumbledore making him brew it for me, it would make my life very difficult." Harry just stared in shock.

"do you… do you spy on me for him?" he managed to ask. It was Remus's turn to look shocked.

"Harry! I would never do that! He may have me between a rock and a hard place, but we werewolves are very good at not being caged! If James or Sirius had ever thought I would do that they would have hexed me into non-existence!" Harry looked up at the werewolf, a smile spreading across his face.

"I'm sorry I ever thought you would Remus." Remus sighed.

"It's okay Harry, you don't know me, and I don't really know you yet. I would like to get to know you better though, Sirius was always talking about you, I'm sorry I didn't try to talk to you."

"Thanks Remus, I'd like that." Harry said feeling a great relief.

"Call me Moony please." Remus asked.

"Moony." Harry said, nodding.

The two stood up to leave, it was nearing one and they needed to find Kingsley.

_He's changed._ The thought mused in Harry's mind.

_You know Remus? _Harry asked.

_I thought I did, but I must have missed this side of him. I'm impressed._ The conversation ended there as Remus and Harry left the library and in the library a parchment.

If Harry had looked at the parchment, he would have recognized Hermione's hand writing, had he looked even closer, he would have seen that it was a list of names, and had he looked even closer he would have seen that it referred to what kind of music was most popular amongst the fifth turning sixth years at Hogwarts. She was nothing if not through.

As they left, Remus felt a wave of relief, he was ecstatic with the way his talk with Harry had gone, but there was something else, that gave the werewolf a reason to be excited. Of course if he gave the plan away to Harry, Hermione and the others would lynch him.


	5. 5 Getting Ready

Getting Ready.

**A.N I'm sorry for being unclear in ****previous chapters, when I said coming of age, I meant the age to inherit titles, I don't know if that is still wrong at 16 but I thought that just like we have different legal ages for certain things in the muggle world, it should be the same for the wizarding world.**

**And I'm sorry about the grammar and spelling, I'm terrible I must admit, I'll try to read though more carefully this time.**

**As for Remus knowing, well t****hat can't be helped, I need that for the story.**

**And Stupidfy… that's just embarrassing**** isn't it? Sorry. **

Harry walked into the bank of Grinngotts, refusing to feel grief. Instead he felt only anger. These goblins had let the death eater that had hurt Tonks. He wanted to hate them, but he wouldn't let himself do that. They weren't part of the war, they only protected their bank, that was it. Harry couldn't blame them, before the attack he would have gladly have done the same, only cared about his little world. But he couldn't, not anymore. He would kill every death eater that came near him, he would make this world safe again, not for the world, not for Dumbledore, not for the order, but rather he would do it for the memory of his parents, for Sirius, for Remus, for all his friends he held dear, and most of all he would do it for Tonks. He used this to harden his resolve, he set his face into a somber and serious set. He entered though the grand double doors flanked by Kingsley and Remus. He felt a simmering rage beneath his surface, he would win. He strode up to the nearest teller, ignoring the line. The goblin behind the desk saw him going and quickly came around counter.

"This way mister Potter." He said bowing low. Harry scowled at the use of his name, so much for subtly. Harry followed the goblin, glaring at the line which grumbled at having their teller taken away. He entered a corridor and walked just behind the goblin. It was a richly decorated hallway, deep carpets and expensive hangings of knights dueling. Harry didn't know why the goblins had chosen that scene for decorating, especially in the hallway to a will reading, maybe they had a sick sense of humor.

_**I can't believe that I'm thinking about wall hangings at a time like**__**this**_He said in his mind.

_**You'd be surprised at how hard your mind will try to not think of death**_ the thought replied.

_**I just want this to be over before the **__**press arrives. **_He felt the thought agree.

They entered a wide room, dominated by the large circular table in the center. It was a deep brown hue, Harry sat down and stared at the surface of the table, bracing himself for what was to come. He knew who else was in the room. Narcissa Malfoy and her arrogant son, Andromeda Tonks, her eyes slightly red and puffy, Harry could only imagine how much hearing about her daughter had torn her up. A couple of old men sat to one side, distant cousins of the Blacks or something.

_**If distant cousins were allowed then nearly every pureblood would be allowed in.**_ the voice pointed out.

_**True, but then who are they? **_

_**A couple of aurors under a glamour.**_

_**How can you tell?**_

_**Their aurors are slightly distorted, and besides, Sirius was a wanted man, they are probably here to make sure that nothing dark changes hands. **_Harry felt his anger increase as he thought of the false charges Sirius had died with.

_**I will change that and**__** Peter will suffer.**_ He hissed violently in his mind.

_**If we're going after the death eate**__**rs why not? Besides I liked Sirius. He had a roguish streak that no woman or Dumbledore could ever quell, you have to respect that.**_

_**You will have to tell**__** me about that sometime, just as soon as I get my hands on the sorting hat. **_Harry thought as intrigued as ever as to who the voice was, but first he had to get the hat.

_**Dumbledore will come looking for you soon enough, then it's just a matter of… negotiation.**_

_**Oh really? **_

_**Just say what I tell you to and we'll get that hat.**_

_**Good, it's bad enough I've got voices in my head, I don't need to go insane from curiosity as well.**_

_**How do know you're not insane yet?**_

_**Shut up. **_Harry gave up, talking to the voice was as confusing as magical history was boring. There was a bit of shuffling about as Dumbledore entered the room, evidently he was going to attend the reading. He was followed by the minister of magic himself.

_**Fudge.**_ Harry thought with comtempt. The doors to the room swung shut as a thin goblin with toothpick legs and arms entered the room.

He looked around the room and slowly nodded to himself.

"Very well since everyone is now present, we will begin with the reading of the last will and testament of Sirius O. Black." His voice was professional, as if reading the dead's last wishes was something that was more tedious than anything. Of course, to him it probably was, who could understand goblins? Harry was about to demand that the aurors be removed from the room when Nacrissa spoke up.

"I want those ministry dogs, Potter and Dumbledore to leave this room! They are not family and have no business here!" Her voice was commanding, and it only angered Harry further, but again some one spoke before him.

"The ministry had a right to be here, we are to make sure that nothing of a criminal nature is passed on through this will." Fudge said, trying to look like a caring uncle, but no one in the room was fooled.

"Bull, Fudge and you know it." Harry said finally getting a word in, of course this left Narcissa with her mouth hanging open, but Harry wasn't too concerned with etiquette at the moment.

"As for me, I have do have reason to be here. I cannot speak for the headmaster though…" Harry said, shifting the attention to Fudge and Dumbledore.

"I am the minister of magic, I will be at this reading!" Fudge protested. Harry stood and walked over to the minister.

"Really? And are you going to clear Sirius of the crimes he was falsely accused of?" Harry said silkly, standing in front of the minister of magic. Out of the corner of his eye he saw the two old me stiffen and reach into their cloaks.

_**Good call on the aurors.**_

_**You doubted me? **_ The thought said trying to sound offended. The minister scoffed.

"Harry, my dear boy, it's not that simple, you have no proof." Fudge said chuckling.

"Oh yes it is that simple. Now clear him or get out." Harry was trying to keep his magic controlled, but it was like soap, the harder he tried the more it slipped away. Slowly the deep purple colored haze of his aura surrounded him.

"You cannot order me about! I'm the …"

"you'll find that I can and will order you about minister, now leave and take your dogs with you."

"Minister a word." Dumbledore said quickly stepping in and dragging the minister away for a brief word. They muttered off to the side, while Harry stood fuming. His aura dancing and swirling like smoke in a gale. Soon the minister nodded to Albus and quickly stepped out of the door, followed by two old men. Fudge glared at Harry as he looked over his shoulder when the door swung closed.

_**That might have not been the smartest move. **_The thought said in his mind.

_**You're right, but it made me feel better.**_ Harry replied.

_**Youth.**_ The voice said with something approaching resignation to the fact that Harry wouldn't repent.

Harry still stood there, the only change in him was to shift his gaze to Dumbledore.

"How are you Harry?" He said in a conversational tone.

"Why are you here?" Harry replied, not caring about tact anymore.

"I'm here to listen to the will." He stated calmly.

"Are you even a beneficiary?" It was Narcissa who spoke up, sneering in an almost Snape worthy fashion at the headmaster.

"Why, yes I am Narcissa." He said smoothly. Harry and Narcissa both turned their glares upon the goblin, who nodded, confirming that Dumbledore had a right to be there. They seemed to accept the fact and Harry returned to his seat. The goblin cleared is throat loudly.

"Are there any more objections?"

"Yes, Potter hasn't validated his reason for being here yet." Narcissa said nastily, "And come to think of it, neither has the werewolf."

"I am here as I am a beneficiary, and Remus is here because I want him to be." Harry said anger seeping through to his voice.

"Ah, actually, mister Lupin is also a beneficiary." The goblin supplied. Narcissa didn't say anything more, but put an indignant expression on her face, Draco on the other hand looked at Harry with open loathing. Harry returned the glare with on of his own, and the two boys became locked in a staring contest.

_**Don't be so petty.**_ the voice thought to Harry. Harry grudgingly took his eyes away form Draco's and he could see the satisfied smirk spread across Draco's face, and all he wanted to do was go over there and slap the arrogant little punk.

"Now may I continue?" The goblin said in his business like voice. No one said anything in reply and so he continued.

"We are here today to hear the last will and testament of Sirius O. Black…" The goblin went on in a droning tone about all the legal stuff, 'being of sound body and mind' etc. Harry just focused on staying calm, but he could feel the grief rising in him, and his magic answering the call. The purple pulsed around the boy, and the goblin paused, raising an eyebrow. Harry felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Remus smiling at him. Harry returned the smile weakly, and the goblin started his reading again.

"To my cousin Narcissa, I shall leave all the goodness and care that my parents gave to the house of Black." The gathered people frowned, trying to work out what Sirius had meant.

"That is to say," the goblin continued to read, "Nothing. Please leave the reading now." The goblin stopped reading and looked at Narcissa and Draco.

"Please leave." He said.

"What?! This is outrageous! You can't kick us out!"

"I have no choice in the matter, the will asks you to leave, and so you must leave." The goblin said calmly. Harry was trying his hardest to not burst into laughter. Despite all his grief and misery, he could help be cheered by the look on the Malfoy's faces. Narcissa knew when she was beaten and so strode out with as much dignity as she could under the circumstances. Draco trailed behind her, and looked over his shoulder as he left, Harry grinned and waved. The look of disgust that traveled across his face was priceless.

From there the will reading continued. The title of Black along with the family holdings, stocks, businesses and 50 of their gold went to Andromeda Tonks.

"To the only part of the family that I'll willingly admit to having." Was the line that accompanied it. Andromeda had gone pale, she shook her head as if she couldn't believe it. Harry personally sighed a sigh of relief. He was relieved that the Malfoy's hadn't got the title, and he was almost as glad that he hadn't got it. It was hard enough to be the Boy who lived. He didn't need the title of Black as well.

_**Hang on, I thought Tonks said that her family was out because they had been disowned.**_ He thought in his head.

_**Yes, but they were only out if it had to be done by default, seeing as Sirius named a successor it surpasses the disownment, of course this is not often done, purebloods tend to keep the title within the family.**_

_**Well Sirius was keeping it in the family, if we're honest about it.**_

_**True, but shush, he's speaking again.**_ Harry rolled his eyes at the voice, which looked pretty strange as no one else had heard the conversation, thankfully all eyes were on the goblin and not on Harry so no one saw the act.

"To Dumbledore, I leave one of my most trusted friends, Buckbeak, I think you know who can best care for him." The goblin looked up from the will, and at Dumbledore.

"Do you know what the deceased means?" he asked all business as usual.

"Yes. I do" Dumbledore replied looking at Harry, with a familiar twinkle in his eye.

"The will then asks you to leave, sir." The goblin said. Dumbledore nodded and left, seeing no elegant way to insist on staying.

"Next to Remus I give two things. First, 20 of the Blacks gold. There's no way you can refuse my money this time Moony, please spend it. Secondly I leave all the marauders' diaries, on the condition that you let Harry read them." Harry looked at Remus who grinning broadly. Harry couldn't wait to read them, the exploits of his father, Sirius and Moony had set a precedent at Hogwarts the even the twins were hard pressed to match.

"Why did Sirius have them?" Harry whispered to Remus.

"Because Lily wouldn't let James keep them, she didn't want you turning her hair blue by the age of three. She thought it much more sporting to let you figure it out by yourself." Remus whispered back, barely containing his laughter, to Harry.

"And so it's just you left Harry. To you I have left many things that Dumbledore would question and so I leave you, 30 of the Black's gold, and this key and letter, Remus will know how it works." A goblin came over and handed Remus a small stack of books, Harry marvalled at the amount, the mauraders must have held Hogwarts in the grip of terror, to have filled those. Then to Harry, a sealed letter with a lump inside it, probably the key.

_**What could he give me that Dumbledore would question?**_ Harry asked in his head.

_**If I had any idea of that boy then it could have been a lot of things.**_

_**Wait, so you knew both Remus and Sirius? And my parents of course because they told you not to talk to me…?**_

_**Actually it was more your mother who didn't want me speaking to you. She thought I might be a bad influence**_.

_**And now you're in my head? This has got to be an interesting story. **_

_**It is, I promise, but first we need to get that hat. And if I understand Dumbledore then he will be waiting at Grimmauld Place by now.**_

_**Okay, I'll open the letter once I'm sure he is gone, I don't trust him to not read over my shoulder. **_

_**Wise move, now you'd better start doing something, people are starting to stare. **_The voice was right, Andromeda was staring at him. Remus was holding the books as if they were sacred and Kingsley was standing and stretching.

"Shall we go now?" Remus asked softly.

"Yea." Harry said, as he started to move towards the door. They walked back through the opulent corridors and into the main bank, but as they approached the doors, Harry heard a clamor, getting closer he could see that the press had arrived in their droves.

_**Aw hell.**_ Harry thought. He felt surprisingly calm, now that the reading was over, like a great metaphorical weight had been lifted off his shoulders. But isn't that how people are supposed to feel after something difficult is put into the past?

Remus and Kingsley saw the press too, looking towards each other Kingsley nodded. Remus moved forward and spoke a phrase in Latin, a simmer ran though the air towards the entrance to the leaky cauldron, apparating into, or out of, Diagon ally had been forbidden, and several powerful wards enforced that. (Or so the thought said.) Kingsley repeated this and soon a tunnel was establish, just like at the ministry. Harry bowed his head and started to walk quickly. Flashes popped all around him and he felt his face contort into a mask of disgust. He really hated the press, but wiping out a small horde of them, accidental magic or not, would not be the way to avoid the ministry's attention. He made it to the cauldron, ignoring the annoying flies that buzzed around him asking him questions. As soon as they entered the Cauldron, Kingsley touched Harry's shoulder, before anyone could say anything, and apparated. Harry popped back into existence just outside the wards of Grimmauld Place, he sighed and walked through the door striding right past the headmaster, who was seated in the library, and up to his room where he dropped the letter under the bed. It wasn't the best hiding place, but Harry didn't think the headmaster would ransack his room. He then walked back down stairs, and started to walk out the door, calling Remus over his shoulder.

"Harry, may I have a word?" Dumbledore asked.

_**Hell, I thought he would be too shocked to react before I was gone.**_ Harry thought.

_**Not a bad plan, but you forgot that that coot has been around for a while now, I doubt whether very much ever surprises him now.**_ The thought replied. Harry was starting to like having the thought around, it helped to be able to talk to himself and not be insane… Or maybe he was, but then would he care about being insane? Dumbledore had cocked his head to one side, as if he was having trouble hearing something. It was then that Harry felt the touch of Legilimency.

_**Won't these people ever learn? **_ He asked in his mind, giving the thought the permission it hadn't yet asked for. Harry felt it rush forward, taking control of his magic just a little, enough to give the headmaster a thought. Harry watched as Dumbledore's face paled, and his widened, before suddenly closing, as if shutting out extreme pain.

_**What did you do to him? **_Harry asked, slightly shocked, but more amazed at the reaction.

_**Something I have been wanting to do for a long time.**_ The thought answered, _**I will explain it all, once we get that hat.**_

_**Okay, so I better put on my happy face? **_Harry said in disgust, oh well it couldn't be helped.

"Are you okay headmaster?" Harry said, not sweetly but at least almost concerned. "Do you need to sit down?" Harry continued as he lead the way in to the library, Remus had appeared, but only shook his head at the scene, and went back to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee.

"What was it that you wanted to talk about headmaster?" Harry said, now sitting in a leather arm chair.

"Well, Harry, I was just thinking maybe you shouldn't visit Tonks today, what with the stress of the reading and all."

_**I can use this.**_ Harry thought.

_**What?**_

_**If he thinks I'm so distraught, maybe I can make him give me the hat.**_

_**Ah, as a therapist maybe?**_

_**Exactly, I'll be able to see Tonks some other time.**_

_**Harry, be careful. In this case I agree the hat is more important, and Tonks is safe, but if you start to think like that, you'll lose sight of what you're fighting for. **_Harry was shocked, the thought sounded so… thoughtful, was the word, but it was also sad, it was such a difference from the usual that Harry could only wordlessly agree in his head. Fortunately, Dumbledore was sometimes prone to jump to conclusions,

"Harry, it's okay, no one will blame you for not going. Do you need to talk?" Harry almost laughed, the man couldn't make it any easier!

"I'm okay, it's just I've got a lot in my head right now." Harry said softly, trying to sound weak and tired, but not over do it.

"I just can't seem to get anything straight, what with the attack, the awakening not to mention the fact I have a madman after me."

"I think I can understand, Harry, if you want I could help."

Harry looked up questioningly , he knew where this was going, but playing dumb seemed to be working so he would keep it up. The headmaster chuckled,

"I do know Legilmency Harry. Fixing people's heads is easy for me." Harry supposed the tone was meant to be jovial and helpful, but to him it just sound as diabolical as hell.

_**Yea like hell I'll let you mess with my head you crazy old man.**_

"No, it's fine, I don't want any human entering my head, after what Tom did at the Ministry." With any luck Dumbledore would pick up on the hint.

"I can assure you that I'm quite different from Tom. You will barely know I'm there."

_**Dammit the old man isn't taking the bait! **_Harry thought in his mind.

_**Then drop one more clue after that, just ask for it, it doesn't really matter. It would be easier if he thought giving us the hat was his idea, but as I once said, if the easy way doesn't work, there's always the hard way.**_

_**Oh, so now you're a philosopher? **_

_**Or a fool, is there any difference? **_

"No, sir, I just wish there were someway that I could think my thoughts and something was there to hear them you know?" That was as obvious as Harry felt he could get without Dumbledore becoming suspicious. He kept his head down staring at the carpet, looking for the entire world, like a miserable boy. Dumbledore gave a great hmmmm, as he thought the problem through, then he suddenly snapped his fingers, and Harry looked up.

"I may just have an idea Harry, wait here." He walked briskly out of the front door and disappeared with a pop.

_**Gotcha.**_ Harry thought as he grinned in satisfaction.

_**Don't get cocky, we don't know if he has gone to get the hat.**_

_**Oh come on, what else could he get?**_

_**A house elf maybe? They aren't human, and with their odd magic they may be able to enter your mind. **_Inside Harry paled with fright at the thought of Dobby rummaging in his head.

_**Oh god. **_He mentally muttered.

_**Good, keep that look, it's very convincing. **_Said the thought smugly.

Dumbledore returned shortly, holding a bundle of rags. Harry felt relieved that it wasn't a elf shaped bundle.

"Harry I think this might be just the thing to help you out. I think you'll remember it." The twinkle in the headmaster's eyes gave it away, it was the hat. Harry unwrapped it to be sure and smiled an I'm-impressed-that-you-are-so-wise-headmaster smile. (Invented on the spot of course, he didn't sit up all night practicing)

"Thanks master, I can't believe I didn't think of this." Harry said trying to sound surprised.

"It's quite alright Harry, but I'll need it back by the start of term, to sort the first years."

"I should be fine by then, headmaster, I think."

"Just don't push yourself too hard Harry. Now I must be off, things to do you know." Harry nodded his consent to the headmaster, and Dumbledore left via front door again. As soon as he was gone Harry grinned broadly.

"Now that's not the face of someone who needs mental help, what are you up to Potter?" It was the gruff voice of the hat that had spoken.

"Oh, nothing much, I just need your help with some stray… thoughts. I'll be back in a bit." He said getting up and walking up the stairs to his room leaving one very unhappy hat on a leather chair.

Harry sat and re-read Sirius's letter, it was several pages long, filled with long stories from Sirius's past, and several mentions of Harry as a baby, of James's school days and a rather blunt reminder to read the Marauder Diaries. But one part of the letter was interesting. It refer to something called a 'warlocks friend' Harry had never heard of anything or person who matched the title. And there was no mention of a the key at all. Either there had been a mistake at Gringotts, which Harry felt highly unlikely, or Sirius had made a mistake, more likely, or Harry needed Remus's help. Harry found him the kitchen reading the paper.

"Remus, can you tell me what this means?" Harry asked, sitting down and passing the letter over to Remus. Remus read through it once, frowned, read through it again and grinned.

"Come with me." He said getting up. Harry pushed himself up and followed.

"When the first war was going on, James, Sirius and I came up with several items, to help us stay alive, we called them the warlock's friends." Remus said as they walked through the library, past a still very unhappy hat.

"These were generally considered to be a violation of good wizarding morals. I won't lie, Harry, they were a series of dirty, underhanded and cruel tricks, but when you're fighting for your life, who cares? Many wizards lie in the ground because they valued the rules of combat too highly." They had reached the back of the library now and Remus was rooting around among the bottom selves. Eventually he pulled out a thin book, called 'Warlock's Friend.' Harry raised an eyebrow at the not so subtle title.

"We figured that if anyone managed to find the book and knew how to activate it, a false title would have slowed them down." Remus provided. "Now if I remember… Stuff the Rules I want to Live." Harry laughed at the password.

"Not as elegant as mischief managed, Moony." Was all he could say.

"But still appropriate. Now come on." Once again they walked past the hat and then to the other side of the library.

"You weren't counting on getting it out quickly then?" Harry said, as Remus pulled out another book and repeated the pass word.

"In those days, if you didn't have it on you, you fought without it, there was no time to get it." He said solemnly as they then exited the library and headed up to Remus's room. Harry paused at the door. He still hadn't entered Sirius's room since arriving at Grimmauld place. Despite how well he could bury things, he wasn't heartless, and entering that room would feel like admitting he was gone. Remus paused inside the room, and turned around and looked at Harry with understanding.

_**Remember the dead, but live for the living.**_ The thought provided.

_**Great, now you're a fortune cookie too? **_Harry replied, but he agreed, focus on Tonks and move forward. With that the boy who lived, walked into Sirius's room.

**A.N I know it is a horrible place to end the chapter, but I really thought I should update soon, and making it longer would have made the chapter huge. Okay, I want reviews and comments, you know the drill, and tell me if the spelling has improved. I've almost given up on grammar I'm hopeless. On a totally different note, does anyone feel like beta-ing? Thanks all.**


	6. 6 Memories

**A.N Okay, sorry about the last chapter, it really didn't answer any thing did it? Any way this is where some questions are going to be answered. Umm, is ****there anything important to say? Well, thanks to the reviewers is always good to remember… and then there is the reminder to review, so please review when done, it is all that validates my existence on this planet, okay that's done. Hmm anything else nope, okay now I'm just procrastinating, so read and enjoy. **

Chapter 6: Memories.

Harry looked around Sirius's room, there was nothing remarkable about it. There was no outward display to show that the man who had lived here had died. Cloths littered the floor with no regard for their deceased owner. The pictures on the wall where the same as ever, some where magical, some were muggle (how Sirius got them would _have_ to be an interesting story), most where of Harry but some were older, faded images of the life he had had before the war, before Azkaban, before the true hell of Voldemort had been unleashed.

_**How could things have gotten so bad? **__**He is just one man, and yet an entire magical country cowers at his name.**_ Harry thought.

_**You must realize that looking at the problem from a muggle point of view won't help. The wizarding world is a bit stuck in **__**its ways. Many times this is bad, but in some ways it helps, for example if we used the current muggle viewpoint it would be called the magical-users world, which doesn't quite have the same ring to it.**_ For the voice this was quite a speech, but Harry could understand the logic, and appreciate the weak attempt at humor.

"Harry, come here." Remus said from the far side of the room. Harry walked over to see him looking at a painting called 'The warlock's war' it depicted a very Slytherine looking wizard (Harry thought of him as Slytherine because Slytherin has the highest amount of purebloods, and _every_ good artist knows how to make a pureblood look good, after all they have the money.) standing atop a hill fending of an approaching group of stylized goblins. It was about a meter and a half tall, and was approaching the size were one had to wonder why it hadn't just been made as a drape.

_**Because no one ever hides anything behind a drape, it's much more traditional to use a painting.**_ The voice supplied.

_**Doesn't that make it a bit obvious though?**_

_**As I said wizards are very stuck in their ways. **_Harry couldn't come up with an answer to that and so returned his attention to Remus.

Remus poked the man with his wand and he dutifully moved aside, revealing a dot under his foot, just big enough for a wand tip to be pressed against it.

"Now, if we hadn't activated the books, whoever pressed their wand against this would receive a very nasty surprise." Remus said in an off hand fashion.

"What kind of surprise?"

"A very permanent one."

"Ah" Harry said, evidently the Marauders weren't messing about with this stuff then. Remus pressed the tip of his wand against the dot, and the little figure turned towards Remus, (the goblins had obligingly stopped their assault) "What do you want?" He asked in a rather gruff tone.

"I'm looking for your friend." Remus replied. The little figure nodded and the painting swung open before him. Inside there was a torso made of wood that had only the left arm. It was only roughly done, there was no definition to either the torso or limb, but it was sanded nicely and of the correct proportions, in general it gave the impression that it had been constructed for a purpose and not aesthetics. It was what clothed it that drew the eye. It was a dark green color, nearing black. It looked hard and ridged, not flowing like cloth, and had a slightly scalely look about it. The left hand was housed in a glove of similar design, and the two were connect by a number of thin tube like things. If Harry had to describe it in one word it would be a _contraption._

"Ah, some of our best work." Remus said dreamily, recalling old memories.

"Uh, what is it?" Harry replied.

"Why it's a warlock's friend of course!" Remus said brightly like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You open the vest like so…" he opened the entire vest on the right side as if there was a hinge on the left, "… and put it on like this. It takes a couple of seconds to adjust." He closed it around his chest and after a couple of seconds the hard material sagged around him becoming limp and then it suddenly snapped tight, molding itself perfectly around Remus's chest, even maintaining the folds of his cloths. "It works even better, if you put your shirt on afterwards, then the amour bonds to your body and becomes almost weightless…"

"Bonds, with your body!" Harry said, shocked at the idea.

"Not permanently of course, and it is easily removed with proper charm, also it's almost impossible to detect, because it's almost part of you… I'll show you what I mean with the gauntlet." Remus pulled the glove of the wooden hand and slipped it onto his left hand, the tubes connecting at the wrist. "Now watch this…" Remus said hesitantly. As Harry watched as the glove sagged and the snapped tight, but it didn't stop at the skin, it sank deeper, it became the skin. It was still a dark green color but it looked like Remus's hand, the fingers flexed, "Here comes the painful part…" Remus said through gritted teeth. The tubes that had been slack snapped up slapping against Remus's under arm, his hand clenched into a fist as the tubes bury themselves in a complex pattern on Remus's wrist, where they met his sleeve the jumped onto that and split to attach themselves about the arm hole of the vest. As Harry looked closer he could see that where the tubes had touched skin they had over lain Remus's veins, no they had become Remus's veins. He heard a heavy sigh as Remus relaxed, his hand uncurling from the fist he had made.

"I had forgotten how much that stung." He said. "This is a warlock's friend." He continued more brightly to Harry.

"What does it do?" Harry asked, still rather stunned by the entire process.

"Well, it can sort of convert and redirect spells." Remus replied, this didn't help Harry at all.

_**Ah, now I understand James's **__**sudden interest in theurgmancy during the war. **_The voice said in Harry's head.

"Any non-material spell hitting the breastplate will be absorbed and redirected to the glove, from there, it can be used to cast more powerful wandless spells without tiring the caster."

"Run that by me again." Harry said trying to take it all in.

"Okay, let me explain how it works. You know that dragon's are creatures of magic? And so any amour made from its skin is resistant to magic, this works on a similar principle. Blood carries magic, and dragon's blood carries a lot more than any other creature so its veins are very absorbent and magically conductive."

"So magic is drawn along the vein, instead of around it?"

"Very good, that's why it is so popular in wands. We explored a lot of Hogwarts in our time, and have found many hidden things, in our seventh year we found a hidden library, packed with tomes too dangerous for even the restricted section. It was from one of those books that we got the idea."

"But I thought you made these during the war?"

"We did, why would seventh years need ancient battle suits? No, I was always the studious Marauder, and so I spent more time there than the other three, I found the old tome that gave me the idea, but only remembered it nearer the end, hence the late construction of the suits. The back of the suit is proper dragon skin, to prevent any excess spell energy hitting the wizard, then there is a layer of hundreds of dragon veins, woven together, and finally a layer of ethereal silk, a material that magic can pass through. The veins braided together and pulled into the tubes that run down my arm. The glove is the same only instead of veins, the palm has slab of dragon heart muscle, which is more absorbent and less conductive than the veins." Remus gestured towards each component as he explained the materials, Harry was dumb struck by it all.

"So when a spell hits the chest, it passes through the silk, and is absorbed or block by the veins and skin, the magic… power… is then conducted to the glove where the heart stores it and it can be used for casting?" Harry said, regaining his wits.

"Exactly, more or less, you have the basic idea down. But it can do so much more, ah but I will leave that for another time."

"No, tell me, I need to know."

"Well, James did some… interesting things with the gauntlet. Even I can't explain some of the spells he used, they seemed only be useful in that situation."

_**Well, now we can see were you got your talent for creation from.**_ Said the thought.

_**What, you mean James was creating spells in battle?**_

_**I think so, if he was then he had great natural talent, even if it was untrained.**_

"Okay." Harry said slowly as he sat on the bed, teen hero or not, there was only so much you could take in.

"Harry," Remus said slowly.

"Yea." He replied, looking at Remus as he sat down in a chair.

"Would you like to hear the story of when your father first used his suit?"

Remus's voice had trailed off.

"Yea."

The three stood in Diagon Alley, the war wasn't going well, and the death eater attacks were becoming more and more frequent, Diagon Alley was almost a war zone. Sirius Black took a last pull on his cigarette before throwing it onto the paved street.

"Those things are bad for you, you know." Remus said for the hundredth time while leaning against a nearby wall, gazing upwards.

"I'll worry about that if this war doesn't kill me first." Sirius replied, it was the same reply he gave every time Remus brought the subject up.

"Scratching it won't help, James." Remus continued, still not taking his gaze from the sky. James stopped scratching the green veins on his arm.

"It's okay for you and Sirius, you two have used your suits before I haven't."

"If it worries you so much then don't use it. We'll practice some more with the Order." Sirius said.

"What? And have you and Remus remind about it every two seconds? Not on your lives." The three broke into grins, even in war, some things never change. Just then there was a scuttling noise from a nearby alley, the three tensed, Remus standing up straight and staring at the alley way, hand just above his wand. Sirius drew on some wandless magic and James drew his wand. When a rat came out they relaxed a bit. There was a moment of pause and then the rat slipped into human form.

"It's show time, about five death eaters have just apperated on the west side."

"Good work Peter." James said.

"Why so few?" Sirius asked.

"With the aurors spread so thin, I doubt they expect anyone much." Remus replied, while Peter nodded to everything.

"Okay, now the gloves come off." James said with a cocky smirk. Remus, James and Sirius pulled off the gloves that covered their green hands, Dumbledore insisted that they wore them, the old man didn't approve of the devices and tried to hide them from the other members of the Order. The gloves where a nuisance, when the gauntlets gathered up enough charge they would incinerate the gloves in an instant, and Lily would not be impressed if James amassed a collection of right gloves. With skills acquired over the years of war, the four slipped into the shadowy alley ways. Sirius slipped into his dog form easily, while Peter and the others stayed human. They spilt up as they moved towards the west side of Diagon Alley. Remus was the first to find them, five Death eaters looting and destroying, they seemed almost bored, Diagon Alley had been almost abandoned by the aurors, as the limit number were assigned to more important sites. Remus couched low, muttering in Latin, he swung his wand in a low arc, sending an invisible whip towards the shins of the death eaters. All five fell quickly, the appeal of the spell was that it was almost unblockable. Sirius ran in, still Padfoot, and closed his jaws around a death eater's neck, and with a quick jerk, snapped his neck before darting into another alley before the remaining four managed to get up. James and Remus stepped out of the shadows, a couple of meters apart, as they approached the death eaters collected their thoughts. They quickly spilt into two groups of two and started to duel with James and Remus.

"Die!" One of Remus's opponents snarled as he shot an icicle at Remus. Remus almost laughed, it was pathetic, he summoned a shield that easily shattered the spear of ice, and he then quickly banished the pieces back at the caster. The other death eater wasn't going to wait for his partner to fall in a fair fight, and as soon as Remus had started to summon the shield, he shot off a powerful blasting curse at Remus. Remus turned just in time to catch the curse full in the chest. It flared briefly as if trying to explode, but the magical energy was drained away almost as fast as the curse could produce it. Remus hunched over, it had hurt, the curse felt as if someone had hit him with a bludger. He straightened, his shirt hanging off his shoulders like so many rags, breathing deeply. The gauntlets had almost no limit on the power they could hold, but where limited by the control of the user. If it absorbed more than the user could control, the results would be spectacular. This is what ran through Remus's head as he tried to calm down, the wolf was screaming for revenge, but to lose control would be… bad. He found it easier to focus on facts in a battle, it soothed the beast. The death eater stared, stunned that the man had survived, his jaw dropped as he saw the green and scalely skin that was under his shirt, this should not have been possible. Remus snarled savagely. He threw out his hand.

"_Incansedendio_!" He screamed. Raging flames shot from his green hand, not in a ball, or stream as other spells did, but a wave. It surged forwards, wrapping around the death eater.

"_Baraka Vor!_" The other death eater yelled, recovering from the effort of avoiding the ice splinters Remus had sent back at him, sending hundreds of crystal shards at Remus. Shit! Remus thought, the suit wouldn't absorb material spells. He raised his gauntlet and wand, casting two shield charms. The shards slammed into the wand charm first, it managed to stop the first few before collapsing. The gauntlet's one held longer, as Remus fed all of the power left into the shield, but it had to run out eventually. The shards seemed to pour out of the death eater's wand endlessly, Remus hastily raised another shield, one that slowed down the shards instead of stopping and destroying them. The slowed shards hit him. There were many painful impacts, but the shield prevented them from being deadly. Remus tried to focus, but the pain was starting to cloud his mind, he closed his eyes trying to prolong the shield. The death eater was tiring, but he was talented at summoning and felt sure he would win, he could feel the shield weakening. Sirius stepped back out of the alley he had transformed in. He saw Remus, giving ground under the death eater's onslaught. He pulled his wand and fired a bone breaking hex at the death eater's back. The death eater screamed as his shoulder was shattered. Remus took the opportunity to fire a body bind curse as the death eater fell. Both he and Sirius winched as they heard the shattered shoulder being squeezed by the curse, but it was a death eater after all.

James had waited until he saw Padfoot snapped one death eater's necks before striding out. It was a tactic they often used, but the death eaters never learnt, and always ignored a dog, even if it had just snapped someone's neck, they saw wizards as much more important threats, which was usually true, unless the dog became a wizard who could now take you by surprise. He had told Peter to wait in the alley, he was more of a nuisance in a fight than any help. Two death eaters moved to attack him, but unlike Remus he took the offensive.

"_Nox Totallis!" _He said softly, knowing that shouting the incantation would only ruin the surprise for the death eater receiving the curse. Instead of creating total darkness, as the name implied, this devilish curse removed all the senses of a person. Sight, hearing, feeling, taste and smell would all be removed, of course having the third removed during a battle was sometimes a blessing and the last two didn't really matter. The death eater that James had shot his curse at had paused, and after a second he started waving his wand about wildly and screaming counter cruses. Rookie, James thought, he's shouting because he can't hear himself and his wand movements are off because he can't see them. The second turned to stare at his partner and was dispatched when a bludger slammed into the side of his face. James grinned, too easy. He knew he was meant to be getting some practical practice with the suit, but every instinct in his body screamed, _take them out before they get you! _What his body screamed even louder was, _don't you dare purposely take a curse to the chest! _Which was exactly what he had come to do. Oh well, ever death eater we take out is some victory I guess. He thought. The original death eater had managed to lift the curse enough to see. He sent a blue curse at James, who swatted it aside with a word and a flick of his wand. He threw a nasty leg snapper curse back. The death eater fell as if someone had just broken his shin with a lead pipe. As the death eater hit the floor James stunned him. He wasn't about to leave him lying around in pain, James was determined to stay human through out this war.

Remus and Sirius helped James drag the unconscious bodies into a pile that was portkeyed to a ministry holding cell. The burnt body of the death eater that Remus had killed, as well as the body of the death eater with the broken neck where sent to a morgue. Remus was, surprisingly, the Marauder who killed most often. The others made a point of not mentioning it, but it was still rather obvious that they all knew. Remus was a quiet man, until you got him riled, then he was a not very quiet wolf. When they weren't on duty for the Order James could see the strain that Remus suffered, he felt as if he justified the prejudice against werewolves every time he killed.

"Where's Wormtail?" Sirius asked as he wiped his hands on his trousers.

"In the alley over there." James replied, waving over his shoulder, he wasn't really worried about Peter, he could take care of himself if needs be. No Marauder was helpless.

"So, what's wrong with the suit Prongs?" Remus asked, noticing his undamaged shirt, while his barely managed to pass as tatters.

"Too many years of trying to not get hit by curses, it sounds odd I know, but that just me." Both Remus and Sirius grinned at James, they had had the same problems when they first got their suits.

"When are we starting on Peter's suit?" James asked.

"As soon as I can get more dragon veins, this war is screwing with our supplies James." Remus replied bitterly.

"Really? What, here? In a bustling commercial point like Diagon Alley? Here?" James said, sweeping his arms about, trying to point at everything in the deserted and damaged place.

"Yea, even here." Remus said sarcastically, matching James tone.

"Argh, I can't see!" Sirius screamed, falling to his knees. Remus spun looking for an enemy.

"Oh, dear, Remus, I think we just gave Sirius a blinding flash of the obvious." James said gravely. Remus looked at James, and then Sirius, and then James again, who broke into a broad grin, then back to Sirius again, who opened his eyes and winked at Remus before breaking into laughter with James.

"You, shou… should have seen… your face!" James managed to gasp between fits of laughter.

"That was pathetic! How long have you had that planned?" Remus said shaking his head.

"Only a cough" Sirius managed.

"What was that?" Remus pressed.

"A week!" James said cheerfully.

"My god! How bored are you? I mean Sirius I can understand, but you James? Come on, isn't Lily giving…" Remus was cut short as James tackled him.

The two rolled on the floor each trying to pin the other, while Sirius rolled on the floor all by himself, in fits of laughter.

"What's going on guys?" Peter asked as he came over. When no-one answered him he just stood there with a bemused expression on his face.

"That's it?" Harry asked, staring at Remus oddly. "How could you do that? One minute you're fighting for your lives the next you're wrestling? You did know there was a war going on right?"

Remus chuckled, "Yes, we knew, that was just our way of dealing with it. Right before a battle we would be serious and make our peace and all that, but afterwards… well it was kind of like we were all just happy that we had all survived."

"But you could have died! The death eaters could have won!" Harry exclaimed, surprised by the flippant way his father had approached war.

"But they didn't did they? Maybe it comes from playing so many pranks on people at Hogwarts, but we learnt not to dwell on things for long, if we hadn't then I think that Sirius and James would have gone mad with guilt."

"And you wouldn't have gone mad?" Harry asked with a smirk.

"Me? Never, I was a victim of their bad influence, Harry."

"Right, so when can I read those Marauder Diaries?" He asked. Remus opened his mouth and then shut it again.

"Okay, fair enough, I may have played one or two original pranks in my time." Remus conceded. Harry grinned at the werewolf.

"Okay, pass the suit here." Harry said.

"What?" Remus said.

"Come on I want to try it out. Besides, the ministry can't track wandless magic so I can't get caught."

"Okay, but this isn't true wandless magic, to be precise. _Freedom please._" As Remus said the last words he waved his wand at the suit in a complex swirl, it sagged and then returned to its original shape, the veins in his arm just seemed to drop out from his skin and gauntlet seemed to pop out of his hand.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked taking the suit from Remus.

"Well, the magic already exists. When you cast wandlessly you generate magic from inside you and give it form, when you cast with a wand, you place the magic in the wand and then shape it, the wand acts as a sort of channel for your magic, allowing it to effect the world more easily. Whereas wandless magic requires you to summon your magic to this world without a channel, so it is more difficult, and more powerful."

"Because just as a channel allows water to flow, it can restrict how much flows, right?" Harry added.

"Correct." Remus said, surprised at Harry's ability to reason that out so quickly.

"But in this case, the magic exists, all you do is shape it, so you could think of it as half cast already, you just finish it off."

Harry felt the chest tighten over his shirt, it almost winded him, but seemed to stop just short, and after another second it became rather comfortable.

"But the ministry still can't track it right?"

"Yes. Okay, now when you put the gauntlet on, be ready, it hurts as the veins attach themselves. James had some complicated reason as to why, something about blood harmonics, but I could never find out if he was just making it up."

_**I told him that! **_ The voice said, offended at not being given enough credit.

_**Really, so what was it? **_Harry asked, later he regretted it as the voice went on at some length to lecture him on the differences between draconic blood and wizard blood and how to make the two work together. What didn't help either was that Remus had understated how much the gauntlets hurt. The veins burned as they bonded, it felt as if acid flowed through them. This insightful observation started the voice off again about draconic blood magic. Once his arm stopped aching Harry turned to Remus.

"Okay, so what's it like when a spell hits you?" He asked, remembering the fact Remus had been hurt after getting hit by a blasting curse while wearing one of these.

"Depends on the curse and how strong and skilled the caster is. The same as with any spell. Of course this is better than any other amour available. So it you'll be hurt a lot less. But remember, it only works with non-material spells."

"What does that mean?" Harry asked, staring at his green and scalely hand, as he flexed the fingers.

"It means it can't absorb anything solid, so if someone sends a table at you, duck, if they send a stunner or a curse, or binding curse, take it on the chest."

"Okay." Harry said standing up. He walked to the other side of the room and faced Remus with his arms spread wide.

"Hit me." He said. Remus looked at the boy, this was not like Harry that had sounded like something that James might have said. He sighed, well no point in arguing was there?

"_Stupefy_." He said sending a rather tame stunner at Harry. It hit him dead center. Harry felt power pulse down to the glove. It was faint, like when you lie waiting for sleep and sense your pulse flowing through your body. This was slightly more pronounced but similar. Also he hadn't felt a thing when it hit, so he assumed that Remus had gone easy on him.

_**There satisfied now? **_Harry asked in his head.

_**Yes, quite satisfied. I never thought I' d get to wear one of these!**_

_**You sound like a two year old.**_ He accused.

_**You have no idea of what these are, do you? **__**This is an item that is worth more than your weight in gold.**_

_**Then why doesn't every wizarding family**__** have one?**_

_**You ask so many questions. Maybe you already know and are just too lazy to figure it out. But if you insist…**_

_**No, I'll rise to the bait this time, and figure it out. **_Harry replied, he knew he was giving in and doing exactly what the thought wanted him to do, but he knew he could figure it out.

Inside Harry's head the thought, thought about how Harry thought. He views the world practically, and seems to be smart enough, but there is something wrong with the way he thinks. It is fundamentally muggle, and so he fails to grasp wizarding concepts well. Voldemort however refuses to think like a muggle at all. Yet some how those two have to magically compete. If there is someway to even the odds, the suit will help, but Harry's thinking needs to change too. And to do that I need to have a more physical presence, which means Harry's going to need some one to help get me out of here, and then… then we'll see how good this boy is at magic. But getting out is the problem, I'll need some things from my wing, and two extra wizards to help, but I'm sure Harry could pull strings with Remus and Kingsley, so that's fine. But how to get there? I could direct… or the hat could, but we would still need a guardian with us, and Dumbledore is the only person who can qualify as Harry's guardian currently. But that can change, I wonder if Snagjaw is still in the upper ranks at Gringotts… Just how many favors can I call in while still in Harry's head? That is another problem. Not to mention he is constantly thinking of that damn pink haired girl. Honestly I plot ways to break us free from the vice grip Dumbledore has him in, and he moons after a girl. Of course, he may be more inclined to help, if I told him what I was scheming, but where's the fun in that?

"Thanks, Remus." Harry said as he walked out of the kitchen. He and Remus had gone to the kitchen after Harry had removed the suit and Remus had told Harry of some of the less dangerous and more amusing stories regarding him, Sirius and James. It seemed as if the Marauders had lived up to their name, terrorizing Hogwarts since day one, or from half of day one considering they started before the Hogwarts Express even left the station. In fact Sirius and James only became friends in the beginning because neither could win the prank war over who ruled the dormitory, and after all, friends who are punished together, plot revenge together. Harry was sure that Dumbledore regretted the day he issued those detentions. By now it was getting late and Harry was starting to feel the need for sleep. However As he walked past the library and a now irate hat yelled at him.

"What am I? Part of the decoration! If so you have a serious lack of common sense… although excellent taste if I do say so."

"Uh, sorry hat." Harry said stifling a yawn, "but I'm going to go to sleep." He said as he started to climb the stairs.

_**Harry, I think that you should at least **__**put him somewhere more dignified than a seat.**_ The voice said.

_**Since when to you care about manners? **_He replied.

_**Manners? Who said anything about manners? I do believe in being nice to those you need though.**_

_**That sounds like something Dumbledore would say.**_ Harry thought suspiciously. _**What happened to 'don't forget why you fight.'?**_

_**I'm just saying that while we don't know how willing the hat is to help us, it would be wise to not accidentally burn the bridge you're on. **_

_**You spend way to much time thinking up obscure metaphors.**_

_**And you spend far to much time think**__**ing of a metamorph, so we're about quits.**_ Harry had no real reply to that and so went back down the stairs to move the hat.

Dumbledore stood in a room in St. Mungo's that once held an unconscious Tonks. This was not good. The aurors had found no signs of a struggle, which wasn't surprising seeing as she had been in a coma. Apparently when she had been discovered missing early this morning, along with a member of the nursing staff. But why would they take Tonks? Yes, she was an auror, but surely Harry would have been a better target? That was of course assuming that the death eaters were behind the crime. It could also be that it was some other faction, after all an auror makes many enemies, friends and families of dark wizards who have been captured come to mind. But that didn't seem to fit. And he found it suspicious that the member of staff that was missing was the one who had chased Harry during his rather affirmative check out. The headmaster sighed. How long could he manage to keep this news from both the press and Harry? Not very long that was certain, he would need to come up with some way to redirect the boy's attention if he found out. He had refused to use his skills to help find a quick cure for Miss Tonks for two reasons, one was the fact that he didn't have time and the second being that while she was here, she was less of a distraction for Harry. He would need the boy's co-operation if he was to train him properly, and gaining Tonks trust by encouraging her to date Harry had gained some measure of co-operation from Harry, he believed, but she was now threatening to become a true distraction and so he had left her in a coma. Dumbledore's thoughts worked slowly through this cycle again and again, but the one thought that would always traitorously pop up was, 'Validating your actions won't save you from Harry.' And what scared him more was the fact that he knew it was right.

**A.N ****Okay, another reasonable slow chapter. Things should start to pick up after the next chapter, or even towards it's end. Please bear with me, this is my first fic after all, so please excuse any writing that seems amateurish. Other tan that I have nothing more to say, apart please review. **


	7. 7 A Darker Side

Chapter7: A Dark Side

**A.N, Okay, I won't lie this chapter was a beast to write, but here it is and things are starting to pick up, Tonks may be returning soon, and with all that said enjoy! ****Oh, and review when done. ****Please.**

Harry sighed as he stared at the hat. It was scruffy, it was tattered, and right now, it was the only one that held the much needed answer Harry wanted. He sighed again before picking it up.

"About time, Potter." It grumbled, it had become quite disgruntled at Harry's negligence of the previous day.

"Sorry, Hat, but I need your help."

"Of course you do! Why else would the headmaster bring me to you? But from your tone, I'm guessing it's not for therapy as he thinks." The hat was doing it's best impression of a frown.

"You're right, you see I have this voice in my head…"

"That's not a good thing to say, Potter, even for wizards."

"I know dammit!" Harry shouted, before taking a deep breath. The magical awakening was still active and his moods refused to remain constant. Sometimes he found it so hard to not just obliterate everything, and other times he could barely move for the sorrow racing through him.

"Look, I need you to tell me who it is."

"Potter, I hate to say this, but it may not be anyone. You've been through a lot lately maybe you've just-"

"Gone insane? Possible, but still I need to know, so just get in my head and figure it out."

_**I am not the figment of a madman's mind! **_ The voice said indignantly.

_**I don't **__**know that yet.**_

_**Yes you do. The differences are obvious, I'm smart, witty, an excellent conversationalist, skilled in several fields of magic, and you… you're Harry.**_

_**I'll take that as a compliment. **_

_**It's as close as you're going to get from me.**_

_**Thanks. **_Harry said sarcastically. The voice was the kind of person (or thought, really) that took a lot of getting used to, of course having him stuck in your head was a good way to get used to it… or lose your mind if you haven't already. Harry placed the hat onto his head, and heard its voice ring out.

_**Alright, lets see what we have**___ There was a long silence as Harry felt it burrow into his mind. He didn't like it, it reminded him of legilimency.

_**Calm do**__**wn, Potter, your mind is so jumpy. I feel like I'm walking down a hall that's about to collapse.**_ Harry took a breath and calmed down, the voice had suggested this, and so far it had protected him. So Harry thought he was safe, of course that didn't mean he had to like it.

_**You! **_The hat suddenly hissed, Harry could feel it, it was near the voice.

_**Yes, it is me. Now tell Harry who I am. Please.**_ The voice replied.

_**Why! You've proven you can talk to him, so why don't you tell him!**_The hat demanded.

_**Because I promised James and Lily, that I wouldn't reveal myself to him! In return they allowed m**__**e to keep my research active as long as it was in my wing!**_

_**And when have rules ever stopped you? You rejected all the laws and ethics of this country! Not even Dumbledore could make you listen to reason!**_

_**Dumbledore is a blind fool. He's opposed to things on principle, he didn't want to save anyone! All he wanted was a clean wizarding war!**_

_**Dumbledore never wanted war! But he wasn't about to sink to your level to stop it!**_

_**And what did that do? James and Lily are dead, their son was so badly damaged it was all I could to stop him from breaking. The years at the Dursley's, the attempts on his life at Hogwarts, Dumbledore is lucky that the boy wasn't made a squib! It was only after he partitioned is mind and his magic started to heal itself, that I could even spare the strength to talk to him!**_

_**I will not give boy your identity! Better that you just stay quiet and sink into the nothingness at the bottom of his mind!**_

_**No, you will tell me.**_ Harry snarled in his mind. This was his kingdom, in his head he ruled. He acted on rage and instinct, ensnaring the hat's essence in his mind.

_**Tell, me or I will keep you trapped in here for as long as I live. And with three beings in one body, well I could become unpredictable.**_

_**You don't scare me, Potter! Go insane, I don't care! You'll be blamed!**_

_**Ah, but when they capture me, and interrogate me, and find a suspicious presence, I will get let off because of temporary insanity cause by you! Sure, it may make my life difficult, but you would be blamed. What would that do to you? Years of honorable service to Hogwarts would be forgotten, and for what? A name! So just give it to me already, tell me who he is!**_ There was another silence, before the hat spoke again.

_**Fine. So you've ruined another pupil hey Saarin?**_

_**He's not my pupil yet, and he is more honorable than you could ever know.**_

_**Saarin? **_Harry asked, as he eased off the control of the hat's essence.

_**Yes, Potter. Saarin Potter, also known as Saarin of Slytherin, or better yet Saarin, mentor of Grindelwald!**_

_**I was in Ravenclaw**_ The voice, Saarin, wailed in Harry's head.

_**My biggest mistake ever. I'll take my leave of your mind now, Potter. I hope you are satisfied. **_And with that the hat's presence withdrew from Harry's mind. Harry numbly removed the hat and put it back on the shelf he had taken it down from. He sat back down in the leather armchair and stared at the fire.

_**Do you**__** still want to hear my story? **_Saarin asked quietly.

_**Yes.**_ The voice had been a friend to Harry so far, it had saved him in Diagon Alley, it had told him about the potion in the water at St. Mungo's. It had defended his mind from others. It had earned the right to explain itself.

_**I was Saarin Potter, eldest son to Charles Potter, Which made me James's grand-uncle. The uncle of James's father. **_

_**What? **_Harry asked.

_**Charles Potter had two sons, Saarin and Daret. Daret had a son and called him Charles in my father's memory. This Charles had a son named James. **_

_**So you're what? My great-grand-uncle?**_

_**Yes, but time loses it's meaning once one is dead.**_

_**So you are a ghost. **_It wasn't a question, Harry had suspected it for a while now.

_**Yes, I was killed by my pupil, Grindelwald. **_

_**The dark wizard that Dumbledore defeated?**_

_**Yes again. I made some mistakes when I trained that boy. He had two mentors you know? But people remember me because I taught him how to use blood magic, and of my views.**_

_**Your views?**_

_**Yes. I was something of a rebel when I was alive. I proposed an idea which the ministry didn't like, and since then, well they've squashed any who have thought the same way.**_

_**And what was it you proposed?**_

_**Dark magic is not evil magic. **_Saarin paused. He could sense the ways Harry's thoughts where flowing. At first he rejected the idea, just like the schooling system had taught him to, but Saarin's influence had had its effect, Harry's mind was opening towards new possibilities.

_**Can you explain that?**_

_**Yes. The magics we use are just tools. If an evil person uses magic to do evil things is magic evil?**_

_**No, but dark magic was made to do evil things!**_

_**Indeed, that is an argument I heard often. Think of it this way, if a man kills a child with a sword, is the man or the sword evil?**_

_**The man.**_

_**But the sword was designed to do the evil deed of killing. Now say that you killed the man before he killed the child, using another sword. Is his sword more evil then yours? If you had been holding his sword would he be the one who was defending the child? No! The tools are neutral, it is the person behind then that is good or evil. Now say that instead of a sword we used the Killing curse. Are you evil for defending the child with a dark curse?**_

_**But Miss Botten said that to cast the Killing curse you needed to be…**_

_**Miss Botten is a bright individual, but she was taught under the view of the ministry. Harry, not many will agree with my philosophy, but I promise you I never did anything that I believe to be evil. **_

_**But in the views of others?**_

_**Most people these days would think me evil yes, but I promise you I'm not!**_ If Harry could nod inside his head he would. Most people these days just went where the ministry pointed them. When the ministry said Harry lied about Voldemort's return, he had been alienated from wizarding society, not even Dumbledore could stop it. Dumbledore had been one of the few that believed him, and after everything that had happened, and after what he had heard when the hat and Saarin had argued Harry didn't know if he could trust the headmaster anymore. But could he afford to trust an old ghost of a wizard who most considered evil? Well, for most of the previous year many had considered him an evil liar, spreading discontent and trying to destroy the ministry. So yes, he felt he could. Two dark-but-not-evil wizards, loved and hated by the masses at the whim of the ministry, yes he could trust this person.

_**Do you mind if I just call you uncle? **_Harry eventually said.

_**You don't want me to fade into the bottom of your mind?**_ Saarin replied.

_**No, I think that you are as close to family as I can get, and I have learnt to distrust what others think.**_

_**Thank you, Harry. Uncle, will be fine. **_

_**Good. But you still haven't told me how you got into my head, or why you made this deal with my parents.**_

_**Ah, that's another long story.**_

_**I have time.**_

"Harry, are you okay?" Remus said as he stepped into the library. Harry had been sitting in here since after just after breakfast, which was more than twelve hours ago.

"Hmm." Was the only reply he got.

"Harry." Remus said, shaking the boy slightly.

"What? Oh, hi Remus."

"I asked how you're doing?"

"Fine, really, the hat just gave me a lot to think about. That's all, really. So when's lunch?" It was a half lie, but Harry wasn't the kind to trust too easily, not anymore.

Remus laughed at his young charge. "You've missed it by about nine hours. Would you like something to eat?"

"Yea, thanks Moony, I'll help." Harry said as he got up from the seat. The short version was that Saarin had made the deal with Lily and James, that he wouldn't influence Harry until Harry could decide whether he wanted to talk to someone like Saarin. In return Saarin would be allowed to continue his research into certain dark areas of magic. The reason why he had ended up in Harry's body required a little bit of guess work and assumption, something that Saarin was loathed to do. But in this case he did it anyway. He explained that he had been visiting Godric's hollow on Halloween, because despite the deal not to influence Harry, James and Saarin were good friends. They had a lot in common, both had a certain disregard for the rules and a belief that as long as you did good, you couldn't be evil. It was Lily, who was opposed to Saarin's influence, it wasn't that she didn't agree with him to a certain degree, but rather that she felt that such ideas could be harmful to a young mind. When Voldemort attacked James tried to fight him downstairs while Lily ran to Harry. It was obvious that James hadn't been wearing his suit, as Saarin didn't see any green or gloves on him. But then again why would he wear it when he felt he was safe behind the charms and wards created by the Order, and their friend's loyalty? Saarin had stayed at Lily's side when she fell, but while most ghosts could rely on some portion of their magic remaining with them after death, Saarin was more crippled than most. The dark lord had not been slowed by his pitiful attempts at attack. When Voldemort cast the killing curse, Saarin had tried to stop it with his body, which didn't work, seeing as he was incorporeal. In a way Harry had kind of known, he had would always see a slight distortion in his vision as the green light came towards him. After that, Saarin could not remember much. He said he had 'awoken' in Harry's body about half a year after the event. Because of his talents Saarin could feel Harry's magic crumbling as he grew, instead of strengthening as most children's magic did. Harry's basic core had been fractured, and as he magic grew the effects became more pronounced, like a building being built on a flawed foundation, the higher it gets, the more unstable it is. In the end Saarin had taken over a section of Harry's magic and had set about repairing the boy. This effort left him so drained that he couldn't even talk to Harry. When Harry's magic started to heal by it's self, he had been able to start releasing the magic he had commandeered, this was another reason why Harry's magical power had started to increase so dramatically.

_**Harry, much of what I have said won't make sense right now, but I can only really start to explain by teaching.**_

_**Teaching?**_

_**Yes, Grindelwald needed me because I was very skilled and talented in blood magic, a rare and arcane art, but you need to learn the art, before you can truly understand it, anything I try to explain now would only confuse you later on.**_

It was just after that that Remus had come in and now as Harry moved around the kitchen he couldn't help but worry about something.

_**How can I get home now?**_

_**What?**_

_**Well, you have dark magics going on in your wing of the Potter Manor, so I sure as hell can't take Dumbledore there, even if I did trust him, but he is the only one who knows the way!**_ Saarin laughed at Harry.

_**You were doing well up until then. It was good that you managed to think ahead enough to see that taking Dumbledore to the manor would be bad, but come**__** on, MY WING! Doesn't that tell you that I HAVE to know the way?**_ Harry paused, and then broke into laughter.

_**Okay, that was dumb, sorry. But how am I going to get there? I can't do magic remember?**_

_**Harry, you have Remus. I used to stay in my wing when James had friends over for the summer, but my portrait and I often talked often enough. It was some sort of tradition to keep me away from children. But the point is my portrait saw a loyalty in Remus that is rare. It also found many fears, and dependencies on others. But he has changed over time, he no longer needs others like he used to, it is as if over the years of war the impurities were boiled off.**_

_**You think I can trust him?**_

_**You're the only one who can decide that, but yes I think you can.**_

_**Okay, so I'll ask him on my birthday.**_

_**And may I suggest bringing Kingsley with us? **_

_**And would we want to do that? He is an auror, and so reports to Fudge, and he is a member of the Order, and so reports to Dumbledore. Those are two people who I don't want to find me anytime soon. **_Harry said in his mind. This was getting ridiculous, he needed a proper conversation with someone, it was just getting too much to only speak with Saarin.

_**Haha, don't worry about that Harry, I'm sure that fate will provide.**_

_**That sounds very dodgy, what do you know that I don't?**_

_**Only that you seem to inspire loyalty among those that surround you, and in the future should Fudge plot against you, I believe that Kingsley will decide to stand by you.**_

_**I still think there is more to it than that.**_

_**There is I also have a feeling.**_

_**What in my body! Saarin… **_Harry said in mock horror.

_**Disgusting child. **_

Eventually Harry went to bed, he was just drained. The suit, Saarin, Tonks everything was just there, clamoring for attention and Harry felt to just give up would be so much easier. But he couldn't, there was a war, there were all the stories of his father and mother he had been hearing recently. That was what got to Harry really, Dumbledore had promised to tell him of his parents, he had used them like a drug, only giving Harry his next fix once he had done what the old man had asked. And he wasn't the only one, others had done it too, hell even Sirius hadn't told him as much as he had promised, but he could be forgiven. Only Saarin and Remus had done what they promised. Eventually after tossing and turning for a few hours Harry fell asleep. In the section of Harry's mind that Saarin lived, the old wizard reflected on Harry's state of mind, apparently teenage hormones, Tonks in a coma, and an evil wizard after you could wear one down. But what worry Saarin the most was fault inside Harry's mind. He could feel it like a hairline crack in a wall, sometimes it was nothing and sometimes they could herald doom. Saarin was tired, he was always tired. He had spent most of the past 15 years trying to keep Harry sane, and after all that the boy had been through it was a full time job. A wizard's magic was linked to his mind, body and soul. If the body was crippled, the magic would be stunted, he the mind failed, the magic was impotent, if the soul left, the magic ran amok unchecked. But it was a two way relationship, if the magic was somehow broken then the rest of the wizard faltered too. A ghost retains some of it's magic because it still has a mind and soul (although the second wasn't compulsory), for the same reason Voldemort was almost useless when he didn't have a body because he only held his mind. His soul was ruined from all the murders he had committed. That was why he had needed Harry's blood for his rebirthing ritual, Harry's blood would have absorbed some of his soul as it fractured when Voldemort tried to kill him, by using Harry's blood, he strengthened his soul, and in turn his mgic. Saarin sighed. While this was useful information to know it didn't help Harry at all. Unless… you should always strike your enemy's weak point, and now that Voldemort had regained a body, that was durable, and his mind was as sharp as ever, not to mention his magic was formidable, the only weak spot of the dark lord would be his soul. But how to fight a soul? Magic can only hit a body, it can only fool a mind, to hit a soul you would need something more… obscure. If Saarin had a body of his own he would have vicious grin on his face.

_**Maybe I should have been in Slytherin after all**_. He thought before moving to shore up another weakness in Harry's magic, the awakening had taken care of nearly everything, and he just sped up the process.

The next day Harry awoke feeling calm for once. He didn't want to blow something up, and he didn't feel like crying.

_**I think the awakening is over. **_He thought.

_**Almost, your magic will be up to full strength and totally under control in a day or two. If you have any one you want to kill I suggest you do it before you loss this excuse.**_

_**I thought you weren't evil. **_Harry said good humouredly.

_**I'm not, I'm practical. **_

Harry had a plan for the day. He was going to visit Tonks. He just couldn't just sit around Grimmauld Place for the day. Well, maybe for breakfast. Harry sat done at the table where Kingsley was drinking coffee.

"Where were you yesterday? I mean I could have gone a killing spree without you here to control me." He told the auror.

"Err, I got called away due to death eater activity, sorry. But the good news is, that they are thinking of removing you from surveillance." Kingsley replied, it was mostly true, he had been investigating at St. Mungo's. However both the ministry and Dumbledore had advised him to keep Harry uninformed and not to allow him to visit Tonks. They were concerned over what his reaction would be.

"You mean I get let off because some death eaters are running around? Okay by me. When do they plan to let me run rampant again?"

"I dunno." The auror said into his cup, the truth was that he didn't like keeping Harry in the dark, the boy seemed to deserve honesty after all he had been through. "I think it'll be best if we just stay here until they do though, see no evil and such."

"No, I'm going to visit Tonks today." Harry insisted.

"Why? You're meant to be her responsibility not vice versa." This left Harry a bit stuck, he couldn't just say what e was thinking could he?

_**I wish you would think about that either**___Saarin said.

_**Why not? Are you opposed to all human emotions, or just affection?**_

_**I prefer to think of it as free from the greatest form of confusion.**_

_**I suppose that things change when you become a ghost huh?**_

_**Yes, I got a lot more sociable. **_Harry gave up at that point and returned to the conversation outside of his head.

"I suppose it's because I was there when she got hit. I mean if I had been quicker I might have stopped it, so I feel like I owe it to her." Harry eventually said.

Damn that kid, Kingsley thought, why does he have to be so damn honorable? And how am I meant to stop him after a reason like that?

"Harry, I just don't think it's wise to go." Kingsley said.

Harry glanced at Remus, who had been reading the Prophet. He winked at Harry.

_**I think that we'll be going anyway. **_Saarin said.

_**Yea. **_

_**See, I told you Remus could be trusted.**_

_**Yea, yea, we already agreed on that**___Breakfast was finished in short order. And Harry went up stairs, the first thing he did was take a shower and then he made a decision. He took the warlock's friend out of his wardrobe (he had put it there instead of the overly complex safe.) and put it on. He had decided to never be caught unprepared. It stung as it sunk under his flesh, Harry gritted his teeth, but it soon sttled and he felt normal. He couldn't find any long sleeved shirts that weren't too hot, nor did he have any gloves. Finally he decided to just put on a robe instead. His hand was green but hopefully no one would take notice.

_**Uh-huh, not likely, you're Harry Potter remember.**_ Saarin said.

_**Don't remind me. **_Harry said grinning. He went back down stairs.

"Remus?" Harry said entering the kitchen, Remus looked up from the Prophet and nodded. They quickly left the room, into the library, and into the floo.

Kingsley watched as Remus and Harry left. He would have a hard time explaining that to Dumbledore and the ministry, but he was only human after all, everyone makes mistakes. He smiled, he didn't know what Harry was going to do after he found out Tonks was missing, but he was sure it was going to be loud.

"Good." He said to himself, he was sick of all the cloak and dagger stuff that Dumbledore, and the ministry enjoyed.

"That kid is going to change our world, and about time too." Now, he had arrangements to make with Harry's younger cohorts.

Harry stared, the bed where Tonks should have been was empty. Empty. She was gone. He just stood there, his more or less under control magic seething beneath his skin. His aura erupting in brief sparks around his body, the flashes of purple, giving the hospital room a hellish look. He felt the gauntlet grow hot as it sucked magic from his aura. It was then that Dumbledore burst in.

"Harry…"

'Shut up." Harry said, he wasn't stupid, he could see that she had been gone for awhile, he knew that others knew, because they had tried to stop him from entering the room.

"You knew and didn't tell me, in fact I think you hid the fact from me. And I think it is because you fear what I would do."

"Harry…" The headmaster repeated, he could _see_ the power radiating off of him.

"And I think you are right, I also fear what I'm going to do." Harry's voice had gone deathly calm, so quiet. Dumbledore had heard that voice before, it chilled him, but where? Harry looked up from the empty bed. His eyes where black. For the first time in over fifty years Dumbledore swore.

"Shit." Was all he could choke out.

Saarin, inside Harry's mind cowered, it was not something he made a habit of doing, but it was clear that he had been right. The fault in Harry's mind had opened, and out of it had crawled hundreds of vile… things, they seemed to be the worst elements of Harry's life, the shit so nasty even his own mind had buried them, but that wasn't all, they were distorted, they seemed to hold a soul… Voldemort's.

This wasn't Harry this was some sort of new being, one with Voldemort's soul, and Harry's darkest mind, and now it held Harry's body and magic too. A new person.

_**The shock does it. Harry retreats and this weaker being can take over, and later Harry returns. Dr. Jackal, meet Mr. Hyde.**_

Harry walked out of St. Mungo's, not caring who stood before him. Dumbledore reached out, grabbing Harry's shoulder as the boy walked past him.

"Harry…" Harry spun, back handing the headmaster across the face with the gauntlet. The magically charged slap resounded through the hospital. Dumbledore was lifted of his feet and slammed into the wall. On his cheek was a burn the size of Harry's hand. Harry grimaced. He didn't care about doing it, but he disliked it.

He was going to find Tonks. This may be a dark version of Harry, but it was Harry, kind of. Remus just stood in the room where Tonks had been, too stunned to do anything. Eventually, with a crack he apperated back to Grimmauld Place, he couldn't stop Harry and he couldn't help him, so it was best just to stay out of the way. He knew what it was like, that was how people viewed him around the full moon.

"What's happening to you, cub?" He whispered as he sunk into a leather armchair.

Harry's first stop was the offices of the Daily Prophet, a move he would later regret. He needed information, and where better to get it than from a newspaper? He marched through the doors, past a stammering receptionist, and into a grand room, full of reporters bustling about.

"Where is Malfoy Manor?" He asked, his voice barely a whisper, carried through the noise to every one in the room, making it clear that not answering was only an option if you liked pain, lots of it. The paper rustling stopped, all movement ceased, and Harry stared at the stunned room with black eyes.

"Harry, darling!" Rita Skeeter said sliding forward. Harry fixed his stare on her. He was oozing a primitive magic, one that linked need and want into results, that was why his voice, so soft, had carried. A piece of paper drifted to the floor, and still the room remained quiet. Skeeter, deciding that maybe discretion was the better part of valor, quickly changed tactics and told Harry what wanted to know very quickly. Harry turned and walked out. He had promised to rid the world of Death eaters, and he had promised to find Tonks, he may as well start with the Malfoys.

He stared at Malfoy Manor, he was unsure how he had got here, but right now he didn't care. He advanced on the house.

Saarin knew how Harry had got there, he had apperated, but the boy couldn't have, could he? Unless it had be the Voldemort part that had known how to apperate, and Harry's magic just did it.

Harry entered the Manor, not bothering with his wand, in this state he was barely human, he didn't need it.

"What are you doing here." a voice hissed. It belonged to a blonde man standing at the end of the entrance hall.

"Lucius, tell me, where is Tonks being held?" Harry replied in an equal hiss. The wizard broke into laughter. Harry lashed out.

"_Reducto."_ He said.

Lucius dodged and the wall and door behind him were reduced to rubble. At once his face changed, it screwed up with anger, it became flushed with rage.

"How dare you!" He shouted, so much like his uncle. "_INCANSENDIO" _He screamed.

The same curse Remus had told Harry about in the story of his father. Harry let it come. It never reached him. The suit just pulled it in. Harry felt as if his hand was in a vice. The power from the gauntlet crushing it. He released it in a body bind curse. Lucius raised a shield, but it stood no chance against his own power mixed with the force Harry's aura had added. He flew back, bones cracking in mid air as the curse almost crushed him. Harry walked towards the prone man, who had flown over the rubble Harry had created and slid across the floor to the opposite wall. Harry stood over the body. Glancing down at a broken arm near his foot.

"Where is she?" He asked again. Lucius smiled showing teeth covered in blood, from where he had bitten his tongue at some point. Harry place his foot on the broken arm, and raised an eyebrow. When no reply came he started to put his weight onto his foot. Another loud crack came from Lucius's arm. His face contorted with pain and a vicious hiss came from his mouth. Harry felt a spell hit his back, the gauntlet pulsed with power as it sucked up the energy. Harry turned to see Draco standing there. He shook his at a the boy. The gauntlet came up and Harry sent a silent stunner at him. Draco crumpled. Pathetic. Turning back to Lucius lying before him Harry spoke again.

"Where is sh…" He stopped short as a pain shot up his leg. His left side crumpled and he fell to his right knee, screaming in pain. From his left thigh stuck a silver spear. He looked over his shoulder to Narcissa standing there, a triumphant smirk on her face, so much like my aunt, he thought. And then it snapped. The real Harry came back. He blinked his eyes turning green in a split second. He felt… sick as if he had not breathed enough.

_**Good, stay in control. **_

_**Saarin? **_

_**Yes, don't lose control again, just focus on fighting for now.**_ Harry fell to his side to avoid another curse thrown at him by Narcissa.

_**What do I do? **_Harry asked panicking.

_**Banish the spear, sear the wound and start moving! **_

Harry banished the spear, cringing at the pain.

"_Flagerate" _he said screaming at the pain as the wound was burnt shut. Narcissa had paused when she had saw the pain Harry was causing himself, enjoying the show. Harry managed to limp back to the entrance hall, he just needed to hit her with one good spell. He could hear her approaching, her footsteps cautious as she approached the corner. He drew his wand.

_**Any cunning plans? **_ He thought.

_**Hit her first. **_

_**Thanks. **_

"_Nox" _He muttered, sending darkness forth. He crouched down, waiting for any sign of Narcissa.

"_Lumos" _She cast the spell without thinking, almost every wizard would. He threw a stunner at her. She collapsed with a thud, Harry dispelled the darkness and limped forward. Time to get answers.

**A.N I'll put this here just to explain something. When Harry hit Dumbledore he doesn't care about doing it because he has some of Voldemort's soul, but he dislikes it because part of the mind is still Harry, even if it is the darkest parts.**


	8. 8 Learn Cotrol, Reap Revenge

Chapter 8 Learn Control, Reap Revenge.

**A.N Here we go chapter 8, all brand new and shiny. Read and enjoy, and the review (please)**

Harry strode forward, or he tried to, it was more of a limp really. He bent down next to the immobile form of Lucius Malfoy.

"Now, I am _very _pissed off, I have a voice in my head and a hole in my leg." He reached forward and grabbed the collar of Lucius's clothes and pulled him up, so they were now face to face.

"Where is she?" Harry hissed in his face. Lucius managed a feeble laugh.

"My master has already won.' He said, with a maniacal glint in his eyes. "He has her, and you've just proved that for her, you'll do anything. The Dark Lord owns you now." Harry glared furiously at the man in front of him. In his head Saarin gave the equivalent of a subtle cough.

_**I **__**could do Legilimency, for you. **_Saarin thought. Harry suddenly grinned, of course, if Saarin could fend off Dumbledore, with Occlumency, then he probably knew Legilimency as well.

_**Do it. And don't bother to be gentle.**_ Harry relaxed, he felt Saarin slid forward in his mind. He felt his magic dip slightly. Suddenly with a rushing sound he felt himself somewhere else. The room was brightly lit, the walls gleaming white marble, a cool breeze blew in from open sliding doors that ran the length of a wall, there was the smell of salt, and the sound of the sea. In the center of the room, nearer one of the back walls, was a gleaming white marble throne that seemed to manage to out shine everything around it. Green velvet covered the cushions that lay on the green and silver rug that lay under the throne. One the walls were hangings of green and silver, snakes embossed onto their surface. This was the throne room of Slytherin Hall. Despite his views Salazar had good taste, something his successor tried to emulate. In the throne sat Voldemort, his chin resting on one hand lazily, before him, just beyond the rug, kneeling on the cold hard marble was a hooded man. The message was clear, Voldemort's in charge, you are expendable.

"My Lord, our attack on Diagon Alley, has met difficulties." The man on the floor, stated, keeping his gaze on the edge of the carpet.

"Do tell." Voldemort drawled, drawing his wand from within his robes.

"It appears that Harry Potter and an auror, managed to subdue our forces. Potter was easily healed, but the auror was hit by the Nightshade curse, she is in a coma at St. Mungo's."

"I could have gotten that information from reading the Daily Prophet. I need something more… substantial, Lucius or else…" Voldemort let the threat hang, he was holding his wand so that it was a line across his face. Held with the forefinger of each hand.

"Y-yes my Lord, of course. I see a way to salvage the effort."

"Let me guess. You want to kidnap the girl and use her as leverage on Potter, who appears to have a dark side, after what he did to his relatives, filthy muggles they may be. You hope that we may be able to use him, through her because he obviously cares for her after what he did to Martin, who hit her with the curse." Voldemort said in a smug tone.

"Yes, my Lord." Lucius mumbled from the floor, trying very hard to appear very small.

"Very good, I like it. Inform our lady at St. Mungo's, with any luck, she will be able to keep Potter there as well, then we can have the lovers together, for a brief session of torture, to make sure Potter is co-operative."

"It will be done, my Lord." Lucius said glancing up. The Dark Lord gave a lazy wave of his hand. Lucius stood and bowed deeply, before turning and walking from the room.

"Oh, and Lucius." Voldemort said as Lucius was about to step through the door. Lucius turned, fearing to hear crucio.

"Keep them at your Manor, I would hate to spoil the beauty of my new home with the unfaithful, when Potter is turned, bring him to me."

Lucius bowed deeply once more and left. Voldemort turned to face the sea out of the window once again. He had considered torturing Malfoy for failing, but had decided against it because, after all, some good had come of the whole situation, and such an opportunity should be rewarded… this time.

Harry flitted through other memories of Lucius. He saw him talking to a very large woman, in a nurse's uniform.

_**Her! **_Harry exclaimed in his head.

_**Yes, seems we were wrong, it was Voldemort not Dumbledore who wanted us to be kept in hospital.**_ And then he was gone looking through other memories.

The Dark Lord stood over Tonks, she lay in a bed in a dark room that was damp and smelt of dust.

"…Easy enough to waken her, if you know black magic…" Voldemort was saying. But Harry wasn't paying attention, he was focus on Tonks and Tonks alone. Voldemort reached out and touched her head. There was a pulse of some kind of black light, as if darkness swelled around the touch. Harry's blood boiled when he saw _him _touch _her!_ He felt something stir within himself, something that wanted to attack, attack and kill, kill and kill again. He suppressed it, not now! He thought. He needed to watch. Tonks gasped and her eyes opened, but she didn't move. She must be under a body bind. The Dark Lord turned and spoke.

"Christina, make her feel _welcome._" The tone made it clear what the true meaning was. The large death eater nodded, her grin making it clear that this was something to be relished. At that Harry almost lost control, a familiar darkness was rushing forwards, wanting to kill them all, painfully.

_**No! **_Harry screamed in his head, and he felt the darkness move away, like a kicked dog. And then with a rushing sensation he was pulled back.

Harry let go of Lucius, the man slumped backwards his head hitting the floor with a crack. Harry leaned towards the man, and hissed into his face.

"I'll leave you and your family, to the Dark Lord." He watch with satisfaction as terror dawned on Lucius's face. Harry stood and limped towards a corridor. He followed Saarin's directions, down these stairs, left, third door. Get ready, this is the big woman's area of the basement. Harry drew his wand. The gauntlet was almost empty, he may have been a bit excessive on the power in the stunners. He tensed for a fight as he carefully advanced down dark corridors that smelt of dust. He was afraid, his breath seemed so loud, his footsteps echoed, as he strained his hearing. Harry felt the darkness beneath the surface, called forth by the fear, it offered to take it all away, just like it had on that first day, give in, let me shelter you it seemed to whisper in his mind.

_**Let it**__** take control. **_Saarin said.

_**What?! You saw what it did! I can't control it. **_Saarin felt Harry tremble, he was going into shock, soon he would collapse, and then the darkness would take control completely.

_**Listen to me Harry. If you let it rise up, you should have a greater influence on it, but if you collapse, if your mind grows weaker, it will seize control. **_Harry paused. He didn't like it, but still, it was going to win out today anyway, and he may as well have some say in the matter.

_**Okay. **_He sunk into its depths. The darkness obliterated all thought. It existed only to get what it wanted, and right now it wanted revenge, no… revenge was secondary, Tonks comes first. Revenge is an option. Harry nodded, his eyes settling into black, but around the center, in a few isolated streaks, there was green, so little that one could barely see it, but it was there. A shred of humanity that had survived inside the darkness. Harry strode forward, his body flushed with a small amount of power, not enough to completely numb the pain in his leg, but enough to allow him to walk. A purple hue warped around him, as he called forth a controlled amount of power. This Harry had no fear. Saarin stayed quiet, Harry knew where to go. He walked into a room that reeked of stale sweat and blood. In the center was a bed. Harry balked at the sight. Tonks lay face down on the mattress. She was naked from the waist up, her back criss crossed with red lined, coiled on the bed next to her was a whip. Not one of those fancy movie style ones. This was a simple thin leather strap. It was a shape Harry knew well, when he was ten the Dursleys had decided to step up his discipline, fortunately by that age Harry had learnt how to avoid doing things wrong. But still, he was a young wizard, and accidental magic happened. At the memories a couple of lines on his back flared. Once he had started attending Hogwarts they had stopped, but still, one year was far too long. Revenge was no longer an option, it was a requirement. Tonks whimpered at the sound of approaching footsteps. Harry seethed. She must be magically bond, he thought. He knelt beside Tonks, his face close to hers.

"Tonks." He said softly, the green in his eyes growing stronger. The whimpering stopped, and her hair which had been a drab and dull brown, devoid of life, burst into a series of vivid colors.

"Harry." She said, managing to turn her head to the side. "You came for me?" She said looking at him with bright eyes that shifted through various shades. Harry nodded silently, his own eyes completely green again.

"Well isn't that touching." A voice drawled from the doorway. Tonks quickly turned her head away from the voice, making a half gasping noise. Like a curtain falling, as soon as Tonks turned away, Harry's eyes darken. He stood and turned to face a monstrous woman.

"The boy hero, comes to rescue his darling sweetheart, defeating a family of death eaters to do so." She said in a sickle sweet voice. "Only to be stopped by me." As she said this she clapped her meaty hands together, in a school girlish manner. "Do you know how much I was tortured for letting you escape from the hospital? I promise you only the Dark Lord can hold the torture curse for half an hour. But I'll try to help you understand how much that hurts." Harry glanced back at Tonks's back, placing himself directly between Tonks and this thing. The remaining green in his eyes was very small indeed.

"Oh, that," the woman said with glee, "I do prefer the muggle methods, the crutius curse is all well and good for causing pain, but I like to leave marks. You know I created the binding spell that holds her? It is very unique, it binds the body in place, but leaves the arms below the elbows, legs below the knees, and the head free to move. Do you know why I went through all that trouble? It's because I like to watch them squirm." If the woman's plan had been to intimidate Harry with this little speech, it didn't work. It had just buried the last of Harry's humanity under a mountain of rage, she had just destroyed her only change of having a body big enough to bury, never mind surviving. They thought the only thing that was left of Peter, after Sirius 'blew him up', was his finger. Harry wasn't going to be that sloppy. Harry promised himself. His aura flashed, sending power pulsing into the gauntlet. He bit his lip, tasting the blood, he didn't smile, nor speak, he gave the woman no warning. He lean forward, running towards the woman, who stood maybe ten meters away. She began to reach for her wand, pulling it out and starting to say a spell as Harry approached, but he was running hyped on anger and adrenaline, he reached her before the spell was cast. He grabbed her fist holding her wand with his left hand.

"_Reducto"_ He said, voice deathly soft. There was a flash, and a loud crack. The woman screamed and fell to her knees. A cloud of red mist hung in the air, the woman pulled her arm close to her chest. It ended just below the elbow in a jagged stump that was pumping out lots of blood.

"That, Christina, is why you don't brag before you win." Harry hissed at the woman. He reached down and picked a slightly smoking stick, her wand. Her eyes followed it with a hunger, for another wizard to take your wand without permission, is the second worse insult in the wizarding world. Harry looked into her eyes.

"And this is why you don't try to fight when you are outmatched." He twisted his wrists and the wand snapped. The greatest insult in the wizarding world.

"NO!" The woman screamed, louder than when she had her arm blown apart.

"You only need one spell to kill, but _I think I prefer the muggle way." _Harry spat in her face.

"Harry…" Tonks spoke from her bed, tears streaking down her face. Green returned to Harry's eyes as he looked at Tonks. He quickly turned back to Christina.

"She has just saved you." He whispered. "But after Voldemort gets through with you for failing a second time, I doubt you'll want to thank her." And he turned away, then paused, and turned to face her again.

"_Flagerate._" He said waving his wand, searing the woman's bleeding arm, to stop her from dieing from blood loss.

"I would hate for you to die before he gets here." Harry said. And turned away for the last time. The black lifted from his eyes. He limped over to Tonks's bed.

_**Saarin, dispel it, please.**_ Harry thought, he had grown pale, he was drained, without the awakening keeping him unnaturally powerful, he was feeling more drained than he should have been. Saarin slid forward, taking control, Harry heard his voice utter an unfamiliar spell. Tonks groaned with relief as the binding spell lifted. Harry returned to control.

_**Saarin, how do I get out of here? **_He asked.

_**You could try to **__**apparate again. **_

_**No, I'm too tired, and I wasn't in control when I did it last time.**_

_**Well, this is Malfoy Manor, they must have a floo point somewhere.**_

_**Okay, where?**_

_**I don't know, I wasn't looking for that in Lucius's memories, but it would probably be near the entrance hall. **_Harry nodded. Harry looked down at Tonks, who still lay face down, passed out from relief? Or was it shock at what Harry had done and almost done? Now that he was human, Harry felt regret and shame at how close he had come to killing in cold blood, in Diagon Alley it had been different, here he had almost killed a defenseless woman.

_**But she deserved it.**_ He thought.

_**Worry about it later, we need to get out of here before Voldemort, or the Ministry show up.**_

Harry bent down, first rolling her over, winching for her as he did so, and feeling terrible for doing so. He slid one arm under her knees and one around her back, above the cuts. He lifted her, barely, she had always been on the smaller side, but imprisonment and coma, no matter how brief, had wasted her away, but still he was drained, and injured. He managed to walk back to the main floor. But he was barely awake.

_**Just a little further. **_Saarin encouraged. Harry couldn't nod, he just took another step. One followed the other and he wandered back the way he had entered. He found a side room off the room that held a stunned Draco, a grand fireplace, with two deep pots of floo powder one on each side. Harry grabbed a handful, more than necessary, but he couldn't care less. He threw it towards the fireplace some of it missed, but most landed in the flames turning them green. Harry stepped in.

"Grimmauld Place." He said loudly and clearly, he didn't come this far to screw up now. And he spun into darkness.

Remus hung his head in despair. Grimmauld Place was crowded. Kingsley had arranged for Harry party to be moved forward a couple of days, hoping to cheer Harry up after he return from finding Tonks missing, and now the brats refused to leave until they saw Harry. Remus supposed that he should admire the loyalty that Harry friends had in him, but inviting nearly every Gryffindor in Harry's year, and several Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws seemed a bit much. But still he would not have been too bothered if it hadn't been for the Order of the Phoenix showing up for an emergency meeting. Dumbledore was still nursing a nasty burn that had proven to be resistant to healing, but over time it would fade. Between the party decorations still going up and the hushed grumbling of the Order, Remus was quite lost. Eventually he had given up on trying to evict either party and had decided to just wait for Harry. Kinsley had got a chewing out for letting Harry go, and Fred and George had got a chewing out for spiking the punch with some concoction or other. And so Remus sat in no-man's land, the library, the Order had commandeered the kitchen and the kids had taken the sitting room and several of the unused rooms down that end. Remus considered getting a drink, but decided against it, it was dangerous for werewolves to drink, the wolf was always there, beneath the surface, howling for release. The human side was stronger… most of the time, but when the body turned at the full moon, the wolf grew strong and the human was cast aside until dawn. He stared at the fire place, thinking of what James, or Sirius would say if they knew what was going on. He didn't know this so far beyond anything that they had ever thought of. And so Remus sat there, musing over lost friends and a situation that had become near hopeless.

Harry held onto Tonks for dear life as they spiraled through the floo network.

_**Not much further.**_ The thought echoed through his head. Had he said that? Or was it Saarin, he was too tired to care, all that mattered was holding on to Tonks.

Remus's head snapped up as a whooshing noise erupted from the fireplace, as green flames erupted from the floor. Harry stumbled out, his robes tattered, the green flesh of the suit showing, the left side of his chest was drenched with blood. He limped forward as Remus left his chair. Harry collapsed as Remus reached him. Remus caught Tonks, without thinking about it, he placed her on the floor. He ran from the room. He burst through the kitchen door, almost knocking Molly over, a wild look in his eye, and man not quite panicked, but close.

"Kingsley!" he said, the auror looked up from the table. Remus made a frantic jerking motion with his head. The auror followed him out of the room. Remus expressed what had happened.

"What do we do?" Remus asked, "St. Mungo's is unsafe, we have the kids here, and we don't know what the Order will do." He was pacing hands running nervously through his hair.

"Relax." Kingsley said taking a deep breath. "We'll have to tell the Order." Remus's head snapped up looking at Kingsley.

"The Order can heal him, also they don't want to hurt him, they need him too much, of course once he's better we may have to move him." Kingsley continued. Remus nodded, Kingsley was right on both counts, he needed to relax and tell the order.

"You tend to them, they're in the library, I'll explain to the Order." Remus said, Kinsley was better trained in healing because of the auror training requirements. Kingsley nodded and moved off. Remus took a breath. Calm down, he ordered himself.

Harry swirled in oblivion. He was safe, he had seen Remus. Remus was safe. He had made it, that was all that mattered, and now he needed to rest.

Remus stared down at Harry as he lay there, on his bed in Grimmauld Place. In the room across the hall Tonks slept as well. One of the Order members had fetched Madam Pomfrey from her home, she now occupied a third room on this floor so that she was near her wards. Dumbledore seemed to have forgotten that Harry had almost knocked him out, and seemed to be very concerned for Harry. Remus knew that there was more going through the old man's mind than that, but he had never been able to predict Dumbledore.

The party had been removed from the house by the order members, but Ron and Hermione had been allowed to stay. It was growing dark out side, Harry's excursion only lasted a couple of hours, and he had been asleep since then. Pomfrey had just that he was completely drained, mental, physically and magically. And apart from the wound on his leg was unharmed. Remus had removed the warlock's friend and put it back into the safe. He sighed again.

"Not doing very well am I, Sirius?" He asked the ceiling. There was no reply, there never was. It sucked being the last Marauder standing.

Tonks trembled in her sleep, in her mind dreamt. She was in that room again. Unable to move, she could her coming, footsteps echoing as she entered the dark room. It happened everyday, it could happen at the same time, but Tonks had no way of knowing as she lay on mattress, quietly sobbing.

"Dumbledore." The woman said, and Tonks screamed as the lash fell on her back.

"The Light." She said, the lash fell again.

"The Order of the Phoenix." She hissed, the lash fell again. Tonks couldn't move, she was helpless.

"The Dark Lord." The woman said, her voice growing reverent. The lash didn't come down.

"Who do you choose?" The woman whispered in her ear. Tonks kept quiet, she wanted to say 'Harry, Harry you dumb bitch, I choose the one you don't even mention!' but she would never tell this woman that. The woman made a 'hmph' sound, like a mother would with a stubborn child.

"Dumbledore." She said again, the process starting again. Tonks knew what was happening, they were training her, like a dog. The Dark Lord didn't hurt, the others did, so who does she follow? She was eventually lost in the pain, her voice grew harsh, as the screams rubbed her throat raw. A the nightmare continued, never letting her leave that awful place, until Madam Pomfrey came and woke her, before giving her a peaceful sleep potion.

Across the hall Harry also dreamed. He stood in that cellar again, Christina gloating over how she so enjoyed torturing Tonks. He lost control, this time Tonks was dead, there was no one to hold him back. He watched himself slaughter the woman who only had one arm, he delighted in the smell of her blood as he blew her apart. 'Nothing left for a funeral' he thought with a savage joy, but the darkness wouldn't release him. No, it enjoyed it too much. The killing made it stronger, it wouldn't stop. He went up stair. When he left the Malfoy Manor he left a trial of blood and the mangled corpses of the Malfoys behind him. But it was not enough, he needed more. Harry watched as he just killed, killed and killed again, he couldn't stop himself, every murder made the darkness grow. When the darkness grew so great Harry thought he would suffocate beneath it he woke up.

Harry woke up screaming, Remus reached out to hold his cub, but Harry threw him aside, falling to the floor and managing to crawl a few feet before throwing up, before collapsing again. Madam Pomfrey arrived and force fed him a peaceful sleep potion before Remus levitated him back onto the bed.

The next morning a very tired looking Madam Pomfrey and Remus slunk into the kitchen, Kingsley gave them both a strong cup of coffee. The two nodded appreciatively.

"How are they doing?" He asked.

"Didn't you hear them?" Madam Pomfrey said, "Every couple of hours they woke up screaming like banshees, no matter how much potion I gave them." Remus nodded his agreement and Kingsley winched.

"Sorry, asked out of habit really." He said apologetically. Pomfrey waved her hand, dismissing any offense taken or given.

"What happened to them?" Remus asked shaking his head.

"Do really want to know?" Kingsley replied.

"Probably not, I've never seen him like that. Not even after what happened to Sirius." Remus said softly. All three spent some time staring quietly at the table top.

"Morning." Hermione said somberly as she entered the kitchen. The three adults looked up and managed weak smiles. Ron walked in a moment later. Remus offered breakfast and everyone nodded. As he got up, a horrible scream issued from upstairs. Everyone in the kitchen winched.

"I'll go" Pomfrey said swiftly getting to her feet. Remus turned back to the stove, resigned to the fact that there was nothing he could do that Pomfrey couldn't. Both Harry and Tonks refused any one coming near them, when they were awake (which meant they would be screaming too.). If this held up much longer they would have to resort to more drastic methods. Mind wiping the event from their memories was an option, but only a very last one. Hopefully they will come around soon. It was then that an owl swooped in the paper. The headline was flashing crazily.

**Malfoy****s assaulted!**

_Yesterday the home of well known Lucius Malfoy was assaulted by person, or persons, unknown. The assailants are most likely in league with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. __It is a well known fact that during the previous war the Malfoys were put under an unforgivable…_

The article went on at length over many theories as to what provoked such an attack. The only thing of real interest was that the ministry had a record of an unlicensed apparation into the premises but not off. Near the end of the article something caught Remus's eye. It was a list of the injuries and damages done. It was the last one that caught his eye.

_Also on the property was a lady by the name Christina May, her right arm was severed below the elbow, and the missing limb is presumed destroyed. Also her wand was found, snapped, beside her…_

It went on about her current condition for a while. What Remus noticed was the subtle lack of real detail, apparently either Dumbledore, the Ministry, or some other pureblood death eater were exercising influence on what went to print, or maybe all three… Dumbledore would want to protect Harry, The ministry would want the threat of attack to be made less obvious for others and the death eaters would have lots to hide. When Remus put down the paper, he looked slightly green, he silently handed the paper to Kingsley, who gave it to Madam Pomfrey when she returned. Ron and Hermione glanced over it briefly and then the meal continues in a very subdued silence. When another scream started Remus left to tend to it.

All that was left for the others to do was wait for Dumbledore and hope for good news.

**A.N Just nagging you to review, it really helps, when I start a new chapter and my screen is blank, offering no clue as to what to do, it helps to think of the reviews.**

**(Now don't you feel guilty enough to review yet? I took me hours to make that line up honest.)**


	9. 9 Strengthening Ties

Chapter 9 Strengthening Ties

**A.N ****Finally! I've managed to finish this chapter. I'm very sorry about the long wait but what an I say? Real life reared its ugly head. Oh well hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**(Flamboyant Signature)**

**Danyl the Mad.**

Harry didn't sleep, he lay unconscious, knocked out by large doses of potent potions, but even they couldn't hold the dreams at bay. The dreams changed, they were never the same, but two things were always the same, Tonks was dead and the darkness was too strong. Harry knew which terrified him more, and he was ashamed of it. In one dream Tonks had lay there, slowly dieing, but he knew he could save her, if he could kill all the death eaters, but the darkness didn't care whether they were death eaters or not, it had gone after the innocents, he had embraced it, killing to keep Tonks while Tonks had stood there, begging him to stop killing… The dreams didn't make sense, but then again dreams didn't have to. Suddenly he was thrust towards the light, he could feel it, he was waking up. He hated waking almost as much as the nightmares, when you wake up it is the final truth. A dream disappeared when you woke, but reality was always there. He opened his eyes, and he opened his mouth, but no sound came. He felt it, a presence, quickly taking control of his body.

Harry screamed in his mind. The presence rushed forward it shoved an image into Harry's mind's eye, he tried to look away, he tried to escape, but the presence had control. It was Tonks. Several images one after another, first meeting her at number 4, times over the summer, every good memory of her flashed in Harry's mind. He was dumbstruck, shocked into silence, slowly a sense of normality returned. Like a slap in the face to stop hysterics.

_**Saarin? **_Harry thought calmly.

_**Yes. **_The controlling presence replied.

_**Thanks.**_

_**Anytime, although you owe me for finding all those, only you could imag**__**ine those thoughts that I had to go through to get them.**_ Harry laughed weakly in his head.

_**What was I doing? **_He asked.

_**You? Nothing really. The fools giving you the potion are the ones to blame. **_

_**What?**_

_**They never gave you time to work through the shock, as soon as you woke, they would just dose you up, and send you back into the dreams… Of course I can't blame them, you weren't letting anyone get close enough to comfort you, and so they just thought rest would be best. I'm just guessing of course, but not even Ron or Hermione could get close to you.**_

_**Really? **_Harry asked unable to recall anything from the past few… days? Weeks? Hours?

_**Yes, in fact I caught a glimpse of Hermione with a nicely bruised eye the next time you woke.**_

_**Why can you always do this?**_

_**Do what?**_

_**Explain away almost any problem that is happening, so logically and easily.**_

_**Oh, that. That because I'm far wiser than you. And, of course just generally brilliant. **_

_**Of course. **_Harry thought rolling his eyes back, and then groaning as even that made his head hurt. He closed his eyes against the pain. And Christina reached out to him with a bloody stump… Harry gasped and threw his eyes open, sitting bolt upright and looking around the room feverishly, his body trembling.

_**It was just an image, nothing more. **_Saarin whispered calmly.

_**Just an image, just an image… **_Harry chanted softly in his mind.

_**I believe you may be suffering from shell shock or just shock, or something like that. I believe Ms. Botten is the person we need to talk to.**_Harry nodded, still breathing shakily.

_**Where's Tonks? **_He suddenly thought.

_**Nearby, she screams as much as you do.**_

_**She has a reason to. **_Harry thought, shivering as he remembered the room. His breath grew short as he saw her back, then Christina with a savage grin. _'I prefer the muggle way._'

_**Harry! **_Saarin shouted, snapping Harry's mind away from the image.

_**Thanks again. **_He said quietly.

_**I hope this doesn't become a habit.**_

_**So do I. **_Harry settled down a bit. He didn't hurt, he was safe, and if it wasn't for the images that kept coming into his head, he would say he was perfect.

He swung his legs of the bed.

_**Let's go find Tonks. **_He thought.

_**Must we? I'm su**__**re she is fine, and beside I'll have to watch what you keep thinking of her. **_

_**Oh come on, we'll only be a second, and she is probably right across the hall. **_

_**Do I have a choice?**_

_**No.**_

_**Didn't think so, but I'll complain the whole time. **_

_**You'd do that anyway.**_ Harry had just put his feet on the floor when a scream shattered the calmness of the house. He jumped to his feet reaching for his wand… it wasn't there.

_**No gauntlet either.**_ Saarin pointed out.

"Shit." Harry said. He resorted to his only weapon left, wandless magic. He reached out for the power. It was there, but not like before. Before it had rushed towards him eager for release. Now it came, but now it was like pumping water from a deep well.

_**The awakening is over, this is how it is for normal**__**, yet abnormally strong, people. **_Saarin said. Harry ignored him, running through the hall, it wasn't far. He grabbed the handle of Tonks's door and threw it open. He jumped in, looking around wildly. There was no one. He let the magic go, it seeped back to the bottom of his mind. He stood there for only a second before moving to Tonks's bed. He sat on the edge, she had sat up and was screaming madly, her eyes unopened. Carefully he pulled her into a hug, just as she had done for him what seemed like years ago.

"Tonks, please calm down." He whispered in her ear. At first nothing changed, but slowly the volume decreased, until it was just a whimper.

"Harry…" She choked out.

"Yea."

"Don't let go." Tonks said relaxing a bit. Harry sat there mutely. Unsure of what to say.

_**Don't be a fool, you know what to say, you have it running through your mind right now.**_ Saarin said. Harry knew he was right.

"I won't Tonks, not until you want me to." There was no reply from Tonks, but she relaxed a little more. Harry relaxed too, moving further back on the bed until his back was against the head board.

"I won't let go." He said again, feeling so very tired. Calling wandless magic to the surface had made the exhaustion caused by the fights return with vengeance.

_**Screw it **_he thought as he let himself drift to sleep, feeling good that he could offer Tonks some comfort, just as she had done for him.

Madam Pomfrey gasped for breath, why on earth was Grimmauld Place so big? And how could that scream carry all the way down to that room? She had just reached the top of the stairs. The screaming had stopped before she had reached them. She supposed that was a good sign, neither one had ever stopped by themselves in the past day. Normally Harry would have been full recovered by now, but he was still magically exhausted due to the fact that he never really rested. She looked into Harry's room and found an empty bed. She frowned. That boy had always tried to leave infirmary as quickly as possible. Pomfrey then looked into Tonks's room. Her frown quickly changed into a smile. She closed the door quietly and went back downstairs chuckling to herself. Normally she wouldn't approve of this, but she wasn't at Hogwarts and besides, Dumbledore had said that he believed it for the best.

"Who was it?" Remus asked from the doorway in between Latin phrases.

"Tonks, I think, she stopped screaming before I got there."

"That's progress at least. Did she say anything?"

"Not to me."

"Oh, who else was there?"

"Harry."

"Harry!" Remus said jumping up from his charms.

"Leave them be Remus, he's asleep."

"Is he okay?"

"I would think so, they both looked more peaceful than usual."

"That's good." Remus said quietly. Dumbledore had explained it to him as well. He had been a little offended that neither Harry nor Tonks had told him, but from what Dumbledore had said it seemed that before the battle at Diagon Alley, nothing really happened and afterwards Tonks was in a coma, so he couldn't be too offended.

There was a crash as a potion bottle fell to the floor.

"Damn." Pomfrey said.

"I'll get it." Kingsley said, speaking for the first time from the door he had been charming.

"I can't believe, thank you Kingsley, that Dumbledore wants us to start making this into a more permanent head quarters by ourselves." Pomfrey said as she carried on stacking various medical potions into a series of cabinets.

"The others either have jobs, or are gathering information for now. We have to be here, so we may as well do it. They'll come to help out when they can." Remus said, adding another anti-unlocking-charm charm to the lock of his door.

"Yes, but why all the way down here in this end of the house?"

"Because it makes more strategic sense this way. Anyone entering via floo, or the front door will take longer to get here than any other part of the house. Also, this is a dead end wing, only one entrance or exit, plus it means we always have a strong defensive position to fall back to." Kingsley explained decisively, he had helped to choose the location with Dumbledore.

"And where are Ron and Hermione?" Kingsley asked changing the topic.

"I didn't see them." Pomfrey said.

"Hermione will probably be in the library again. Although I'm sure she has finished her summer home work by now." Remus said. "She'll be trying to get Ron to do his."

"Hello all." Dumbledore said stepping in from the corridor.

"Hello headmaster." Pomfrey said.

"How are the patients doing?" he asked.

"There's been an improvement." Remus said with a grin.

"Has there now?" Dumbledore replied raising his eyebrows, "May I go see them?"

"I don't think they'll mind." Pomfrey said. Dumbledore nodded.

"Remus, come with me." He said. As soon as they were out of ear shot of the others Dumbledore spoke.

"About those portkeys we discussed, have you made any progress?"

"Yes, I have got the charm to trigger them working fine, but the ministry can still detect them, and if they ever catch us with them we are in serious trouble."

"Yes, but they would be useful."

"That's true, it would certainly make capturing Order members harder, but if we can't make them undetectable, then they're almost pointless."

"I'll see if I can find any more information on portkeys." Dumbledore said. They had just reached the stairs.

"Oh, and Remus, you may want to check on Hermione and Ronald, I have a strong suspicion that home work is not the only reason they enjoy the library."

Remus shook his head, before thanking Dumbledore and walking towards the library. He went the kitchen and got some coffee, and just poked his head into the library, asking Ron and Hermione, if they wanted anything, the two quickly moved apart, blushing heavily, before saying that they were fine. Remus then walked away whistling. It had always scared James and Lily more when someone had spotted them together casually. It reminded them that it could happen anytime. It wouldn't hurt to put a bit of that fear into Ron and Hermione. If someone jumped in and yell 'Ha, caught you.' You may feel embarrassed, but you knew that they were looking for you, it was a lot more scary to think that anyone could spot it.

Harry trembled. He could feel it, the darkness. It grew stronger. It wanted blood, the smell, the warmth, the taste. Harry couldn't hold it. He just wanted to release, let it sate itself and them sink back again, back into the depth from which nothing returned. He started to whimper. He feared the darkness, he had felt it before, it had always shrouded Voldemort, making him so calm, so evil. This time the darkness was rising up from within him and he knew, he knew he was no different. He would kill and he would rejoice as life left his victims. He felt a sharp pain explode in his face. He pried his eyes open and looked into fierce violet eyes.

"Never. Say. That. Again." Tonks said forcefully, staring into his eyes with an intensity that made Harry cringe.

_**Saarin?**_

_**Ah, yes you were ranting on about how you where the same as Voldemort. Really Harry, talking in your sleep? It was bad enough when you do it awake. Oh and then she slapped you.**_

"It's true." Harry said both to Tonks and Saarin. He believed it too. He had killed and he had found joy in it.

"It is not!" Tonks retorted, her reply forceful.

"It is, I killed and I enjoyed it! And I almost did it again! I only left her alive because I knew Voldemort would do worse than I could!" Harry shot back.

"You are nothing like him! You saved my life Harry."

"I killed…" Harry started, but Tonks had had enough, and decided to shut him up the fastest way she could think of. Harry reeled as Tonks' lips pressed against his. He was stunned silent. She pulled back from their kiss. Harry looked at her face, tears had streaked down her cheeks. He reached up and futilely tried to wipe one away, finding that it only smudged it. He smiled weakly at Tonks.

_**Oh god, now I'm going to have to see this every time you close your eyes aren't I?**_ Saarin broke in sullenly.

_**Oh way to kill the moment Saarin.**_ Harry moaned.

_**Don't blame me, you're the one staring blankly at her. **_Harry snapped himself out of the conversation with Saarin, noticing that Tonks was looking at him in a strange way. For a minute the silence reined as the two stared at each other however Tonks' nature was not inclined to silent staring and she soon jumped up. Or rather tried to. Tonks fell to the floor groaning in pain. As she reached behind her, blood starting to show through the shirt she was wearing.

"I'll get help!" Harry said as he bolted down the corridor. He reached the top of the stairs and leapt, sailing through the air, and landing lightly at the bottom.

_**Now that is interesting**_ Saarin said as Harry landed but Harry wasn't interested at the moment. He ran through to the kitchen,

"Remus, Kingsley?" He called, finding neither there.

_**Shit what time is it?**_ Harry asked Saarin, realizing they might be in bed.

_**Mid morning. Did you not see the sun shining through Tonks'**__**s window? Or were you distracted? **_Saarin asked innocently, deciding Tonks' situation was no where near serious.

_**Yes, you're the height of wit.**_ Harry said distractedly, still looking for someone, to help. After what seemed like an age, although it couldn't have been more than a couple of minutes, Harry found Madame Pomfrey walking along one of the corridors. He was mildly surprised to see her.

_**She was here while you were **__**asleep, she was the one force feeding you sleeping draughts. **_Saarin supplied.

"Tonks is hurt." Was all he said and she moved quickly towards the stairs.

Harry waited outside Tonks's room while Pomfrey applied some salve to her back, the wounds stopped bleeding and Tonks was told to rest. Pomfrey came out to talk to Harry.

"Harry, you should really be resting too, you were almost completely drained when…" but Harry cut her off.

"I don't care. I'll wait in with Tonks." He said softly, quickly slipping past her and into Tonks's room. Madame Pomfrey shook her head, she had no idea what was going on with the boy. He used to be too polite to ever interrupt her before. She eventually turned and decided to go back down stairs, Remus and Kinsley were still placing charms on every door and latch, so she had decided to have a nice cup of tea.

Harry sat by Tonks's bed and stared, not seeing anything, he was talking to his uncle.

_**Saarin, what's the plan now? **_

_**Oh must I do everything? **_Saarin asked in exasperation.

_**Well, you can leave Tonks to me…**_

_**You are a twisted child. **_Saarin said, recoiling from the image Harry created, 'well at least he's well enough to joke' Saarin thought to himself. _**What we have to do, is get me out of you, first of all. Then I have some explaining to do. Then we need to sort out what is going on in your head. To do all of this we need to be at the Manor. **_Saarin thought.

_**So, nothing much then? **_Harry asked.

_**Actually it is a lot easier to do than it sounds. I can supply the destination for apperation to the Manor. The ritual to get me out of you is relatively simple, of course it was designed to remove spirits possessing pe**__**opl, but it should work. All we need is two people to assist in it.**_

_**That means I'll have to come clean about you.**_

_**Yes. I would also suggest we take Tonks once she is well enough. Maybe a change of scenery will help her. **_

_**So who do we take first? Remus and Kinsley? **_

_**They would do, and they seem loyal enough. I have only two concerns, one is that once I am out of your head, I'll be unable to use my occlumency to protect you, my second is that you will lose your ability to use theurgmancy at the level you currently do.**_

_**Theurgmancy? **_Harry questioned.

_**One of those things I have to explain.**_

_**Okay. So when should we leave? **_

_**I would recommend immediately. However that may not be possible as you need to explain to Remus and Kingsley, before they will allow me to place the memory of the location in their heads with legilimency.**_

_**Why do I always have to do all the work? **_Harry asked back, mockingly.

_**Very funny. **_

****

It was evening by the time Harry had found both Remus and Kingsley in the abnormal house that was Grimmauld Place. The explanation went rather well, Harry thought. Both Remus and Kingsley sat quietly and listened until the end. Although this may have been due more to shock, than anything else. It was not the sort of thing that came up often in conversation, having a dead relative in your head. Harry had left out the part about his darkness, he didn't want to talk about that yet. Remus managed to string a coherent sentence together first.

"Saarin? Didn't he have a wing at the Potter Manor?" He asked.

_**Do you want to handle this? **_Harry thought to Saarin.

_**With pleasure. **_Saarin said. Harry could almost see the evil grin that Saarin wanted to use. He relaxed at bit and Saarin moved forward in his mind, taking control of the body.

"Yes, I do." Saarin's voice came out of Harry's mouth. It was deeper, and had a resonance to it that was hard not to listen to. Kingsley looked shocked, and Remus paled ever so slightly. To his credit Remus was the first to recover yet again.

"Saarin?"

"Yes." Saarin drawled.

"So you were a ghost all this time. No wonder we weren't allowed in your wing. Weren't you some sort of dark lord?"

"No!" Saarin said sharply. "I merely trained one. Grindelwald was my student, until he killed me after learning all he could of my magic."

"What magic?" Kingsley asked, he had never paid much attention (as do most students) to history of magic at Hogwarts.

"Theurgmancy." Saarin said the word so smoothly that Remus shivered, "It is the art of channeling magic through the blood, unlocking the magical talents of previous generations for brief periods of time, enhancing the body using nothing but power. A powerful and obscure art, an art that can bring back the magics of those long lost to us." Harry's eyes had gone glassy as Saarin spoke with reverence to the magic he had been a master of when he was alive. Harry felt a wave of sadness radiate from Saarin.

_**Saarin?**_ He thought questioningly.

_**Just missing my past power. Remember how I once told you that death crippled me more than most? It was because I lost my magic. My specialty. I was the greatest theurgist in over three centuries. But when you're a ghost, you have no body, you have no blood, I had no power. I could still do some basic magic, but I lost more than most do when I died. **_

Harry just moved forward in his mind as Saarin slid back, longing for a time long gone, in his mind.

"So will you help?" Harry asked, his voice normal again.

"Officially, I'm meant to follow you and make sure you don't go homicidal, as long as I can owl my reports back to the ministry, it doesn't matter where I am." Kingsley said, "So, that's a yes." He added. Harry turned to Remus.

"I don't see why not, I was starting to get depressed hanging around this miserable old house. And I have to admit that I'm curious as to what Saarin's wing is like."

_**Yes, he **__**always has been, too. He and Black kept trying to break into my wing over the summer holidays when they visited James. **_Saarin told Harry.

"So when shall we leave? I plan on asking Tonks to come as soon as she is well enough." He rushed the last part, feeling embarrassed. Remus and Kingsley had told him what Dumbledore had told them, so he knew that they knew already, but that didn't change the fact he was embarrassed. Remus chuckled at Harry's discomfort, he looked so much like James, but acted so very different at times.

"How about tomorrow morning, that'll give us time to pack. Then in the afternoon we can do this ritual. From what Saarin says it doesn't sound too hard." Remus said Harry nodded, it was soon enough. By this time night had settled and Harry was feeling tired, between the magical exhaustion and stress he was quite worn out and bade Kingsley and Remus a goodnight before heading up stairs. On his way to his room he passed Tonks's. There were quiet whimpers coming from inside. Harrry looked in to see Tonks tossing and turning in her sleep.

_**A nightmare**_ Harry thought. He stood by the door for a moment, trying to decide what to do. She hadn't screamed since this morning, but she hadn't been healed completely. Harry decided to do what no-one had ever done for him when he had had nightmares. He walked over to Tonks and sat on her bed.

"It's okay." He whispered, while stroking her hair.

"Harry." She mumbled, still asleep.

"Yea." He whispered, but Tonks didn't reply. She stopped tossing and sighed, seeming to relax.

_**Oh, so you save someone**__**'s life once and suddenly all they need is your voice and they feel safe. **_Saarin drawled.

_**You're really against love aren't you? **_Harry asked.

_**No, I'm against everything. I'm a depressed and generally unpleasant person.**_ He replied testily, talking about theurgmancy had made him miss his power all the more. Harry sighed and said good night to Tonks, gently kissing her forehead on impulse, while Saarin sat grumpily in a corner of his mind.

Harry went to bed, and fell asleep rather quickly. Almost instantly in fact. However his sleep was anything but restful. Beyond the usual nightmares, lurked a darker entity.

Harry opened his eyes in a white marble hall, the surf was pounding on a nearby shore. Before him, on their knees were the Malfoys and Christina.

"So you lost us our greatest bargaining chip, to an adolescent boy." Voldemort hissed. Harry shuddered and tried to make his presence as small as possible, he didn't want Voldemort to know he was there. None of the four groveling figures dared to mention the fact that Voldemort had been stopped by the same child when he was only a baby.

"_Crucio._" Voldemort hissed. The unforgivable hit Lucius and the man tried in vain not to scream. He managed about a second before a scream of torment escaped his lips. Voldemort turned away, but maintained the spell. He looked out to the sea, deep in thought.

"I need to contact him just once, then if he doesn't join our side we'll kill him. But when? While he is at Hogwarts? Oh, that would ruin Dumbledore, and eliminate the boy." Voldemort spoke to himself as Lucius screamed. He eventually turned and released the curse, and then watched in amusement as Lucius tried to get back to his knees, while fighting the urge to throw up. The dark Lord made up his mind. He would leave Potter be for the time being. Instead he would focus on weakening their more organized opposition. He would ruin Britain's relations with foreign ministries, to cut them off from support, and then tear the ministry down. If some where along the line Harry Potter joined them, all the better, if not the boy would have to die. As he watched the cowering death eaters before him he decided to issue one last punishment and then he would hand them over to Bella, he had more important, although less fun, things to do than torture the incompetent.

"Christina." Voldemort said. The monstrous woman looked up, the fear clear in her eyes.

"_Bludgerio" _Voldemort hissed without hesitation, the curse hit her in the face. He smiled as her face crumpled and she was knocked back by the curse.

"That is for losing your wand, worm." He hissed as she rolled on the floor holding her heavily bleeding face in her hands, trying not to get blood on Voldemort's floor, while moaning in pain.

"Bella." He called, the witch entered from a side room.

"Yes my Lord." She said bowing deeply.

"Show these four what happens to the inept. But keep them alive." He said with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Certainly my master." She said shooting and evil smirk at her sister, the sibling rivalry for the dark lord's favor had always been fierce between the two. Bellatrix was looking forward to what she would do to Narcissa. Narcissa for her part kept her head down and hoped that Voldemort didn't change his mind about not killing them, Bella would know a hundred depraved ways to torture them, but a thousand even worse ways to kill. The four were led out by Bella. The Dark Lord turned to the sea again. He had to plan how to break Britain's ties with every other major wizarding country…

Harry was torn from his vision by Saarin. He was damp with sweat and shaking violently. The first thing he did was lean over the bed and empty the contents of his stomach onto the floor.

_**That's no way to show your thanks. **_Saarin said in his usual drawl.

_**And that was no way to wake some one up. But thanks all the same. **_Harry said. He lay there for a bit, thinking about what he had just seen. For one thing he was happy that he was not going be attacked again… at least until school started in September. But then again it seemed that Voldemort was formulating plans to bring down the Ministry.

_**Saarin?**_ Harry thought.

_**Hmmm. **_Saarin replied, quickly looking through Harry's vision.

_**He's really going to go for it this time, isn't he?**_

_**You mean the complete domination of Britain and the slaughter of muggles and muggle borns? Yes I think he is. **_

_**And I have to stop him, according to some stupid prophecy? With a power he doesn't know? Hell, even I don't know what this power is! **_Harry thought exasperatedly.

_**It's all in your blood. With a little practice, you'll find out why Grindelwald wanted to kill**__** me to make sure no one else would be taught it. **_

Harry sighed, he trusted Saarin. Maybe he could bring the collective might of the Potter line down upon Tom. That thought put him more at ease. He made a mental note to inform Dumbledore of Voldemort's plan, or tell someone to inform him. And he needed to see Hermione and Ron, they had been out today, so he had not yet talked to them. He looked forward to seeing his friends, but he wouldn't take them to the Manor. Not until Saarin was out of his head. He didn't want them to see the ritual. No matter how much Saarin tried to hide it, Harry knew it would hurt his uncle. Exorcisms were never designed to be gentle on the possessing spirit, and they probably weren't too kind to the host either for that matter. Anyway, he would probably invite them the same time as he did Tonks. He was upset that he wouldn't have any time alone with her to discuss their… relationship, or lack there of, but there was no way he was going to sideline his friends. He sighed again. It was almost a relief to be worrying about teenager problems after the insanity of the last couple of weeks. He rolled over and tried to get back to sleep. Saarin promised to watch his mind and stop another vision for the night, and so all he had to worry about were the usual nightmares, and they were starting to lose their potency.


	10. 10 TEOSP

**A.N Here it is chapter ten for your reading pleasure, as always feed back welcome.**

**Sorry about the long wait, but school is horrid like that, I look forward to the holidays, when I'll be able to write more, until then, this will have to do. My deepest apologies for that. **

**Read on because now it's:**

Chapter 10: The Exorcism of Saarin Potter.

Harry awoke from a decent night's rest. After the vision he had managed to sleep dreamlessly. Harry decided that if occlemency could block dreams, then maybe he would learn it after all, Saarin would be far better than Snape at any rate. What he looked forward to though was getting to Potter Manor, a home. A home for him.

_**Saarin, you are certain that we will get past the wards? **_Harry asked, remembering that Dumbledore had something about him having to be 16 to inherit magical titles.

_**Don't worry, they are all blood wards. I replaced nigh on half of them in my life. I could probably disable them if any tried to stop you. Although they shouldn't James never forbid you to go to the manor, and as a family member you should have no trouble entering. Kingsley may be a problem, Remus already knows about though so he should also be fine.**_

_**A simple yes would have done just fine. **_Harry grumbled. Harry got up, took a shower and got dressed, his clothes still the cast off's of Dudley's.

He went downstairs and entered the kitchen. Madame Pomfrey was cooking over the stove. Harry shrugged, she couldn't be any worse than Remus.

_**I think I should start to explain some things to you Harry. **_Saarin said.

_**I thought you were going to wait until after you got out of my head. **_

_**That's a while off, and some things may best be explained through memories. **_Saarin said. Harry nodded his head in agreement.

_**As you know I was in Ravenclaw at Hogwarts, rather an embarrassment to the family really. I valued knowledge over bravery. I feel that it is stupid to throw your life away for the notion of chivalry. I wanted to learn how to control things beyond my understanding back then. I want to master magics lost to the wizarding world. I had no idea what I wanted to do with the power, I just wanted to know it. I was the only Potter to not be sorted into Gryffindor. I excelled at Hogwarts, which was just as well, I might have been disowned if I had been stupid as well. When I left school I went in pursuit of the knowledge I had so hungered for. I wasn't too scrupulous over how I got it, I must admit. What ever the price, I paid it. After many years, I could call myself a master at theurgmancy. I had mastered an art long lost to this world. I decided I had to pass on my knowledge, I couldn't let it die again, I would not bury it in a grave with myself. **_Saarin seemed to sigh inside Harry's mind.

_**I found a willing student, one who was quite talented at both theurgmancy and the mind arts. I was good enough at **__**Legilimency **__** and occlumency but I was not a master. He sought another teacher for that part of his training, all I did was teach him theurgmancy. It is something I still regret.**_

_**It was Grindelwald, wasn't it? **_Harry asked. He nodded his head absently as Madame Pomfrey put a plate of food in front of him.

_**Yes. It was after I started to train him that I earned the name Saarin of Slytherin. People mistook his views as those of his teacher. His ambition knew no bounds. One of his more famous quotes is what he said when confronted after slaughtering a clan of vampires for their library, it was still technically illegal to kill vampires in Romania at the time, when the reporter said this he laughed and stated... **_

Harry's vision went blurry for a second as he entered Saarin's memory. He__saw a powerful looking man standing before a crowd of reporters, his cloak still bloody, an ancient tome in his grasp. He was laughing powerfully in response to a woman in the front's question.

"Illegal?" he boomed. "True, it was illegal. But the law has it's place, as a footnote in my spell book." With that he apperated with a deafening crack. Saarin standing at the back of the crowd sighed, the boy was good at spell work, but he lacked the discipline to excel much more than he currently did. Worse still, he was starting to attract a lot of negative attention. They would need to talk again about being subtle.

Harry withdrew from the memory and felt briefly disorientated, before continuing with breakfast.

_**I confronted Grindelwald that night, we argued but eventually he agreed to be more quiet in his tasks for this other master of his. I never found out who it was. A month later, he murdered me on the orders of this other master. **_Harry felt another memory surface, and he willingly fell into it.

"Put your wand away!" Saarin said sternly to Grindelwald as he entered the clearing in a dark forest, full of dead trees. Grindelwald seemed to comply, lowering his wand towards his holster. Grindelwald then grinned manically and swung his wand forward in a rapid swipe. Saarin dived to the side swearing furiously, as a crimson fire ball flew past. He hid behind a tree, quickly trying to raise as many occlumency shields as possible, knowing that Grindelwald was skilled in the mind arts.

"Saarin, that is no way for an honourable man to fight. Hiding behind a tree like some sort of weak scum." Grindelwald called. Saarin ignored him, there would be time enough to question him once he had won this duel. He faced the tree that was shielding him. It was ancient, towering over him... perfect. He bit his finger, and then smeared the blood onto the trees trunk in one long line. He took a step back and listened to his pupils approaching footsteps. 'So be it' he thought. He muttered a banishing charm, channelling his power through the blood on the tree. There was mighty crash as the tree flew towards Grindelwald, severed just below the blood line.

"_Fortius!" _Grindelwald shouted, a curved wall of stone appearing before him, the boom as the tree connected was deafening, as both stone and wood shattered. Saarin threw a bolt of lightening towards the briefly exposed Grindelwald. Grindelwald survived by leaping out of the way. Gemini conjured two wolves and sent them towards Grindelwald. Grindelwald sneered at the weak creatures as he assaulted their minds, controlling the creatures through possession, and then sent them back to attack Saarin. Grindelwald summoned a much more powerful Wyrm, a small dragon, as vicious and blood thirsty as any of it's grander cousins, and sent it after the wolves. Saarin flourished his wand and sent a wide area bludgeoning hex towards the three. The hex turned all three into a bloody paste flying right back at Grindelwald, along with the still travelling hex. Another flourish and chant and the blood burst into an inferno hotter than almost any other fire, magical or otherwise. Grindelwald was forced onto the defensive, knowing that Saarin's skill at theurgmancy would always be greater than his own. He cast a shield that the blood fire slid off of. He was left standing in a ring of fire about ten feet wide. Saarin wasn't finished yet though.

"_Theurg es profintia Charles Potter!"_ the incantation gave him access to his father's most powerful magic. Transfiguration. Quickly focusing on what he wanted he shot spells of towards Grindelwald as quickly as possible. Grindelwald was quick, even with the limited space to move in he dodged every one of Saarin's fifteen spells. Grindelwald smirked, time to see how well Saarin can multi task. He assaulted Saarin's mind as the spells flew towards him. He managed to break the first layer of Saarin's mental defences, that was all he needed. As soon as the last spell had flown past him, he set a new tactic into play. Saarin felt his mind split, copies of himself appearing in several memories at once, each facing a copy of Grindelwald. This was the technique Grindelwald had most recently learnt, and perfected, the ability to force your opponent to fight on several mental levels, as well as the standard duel, it was a very distracting technique, both for the attacker and defender. Saarin reeled, struggling to cope with the influx of information from each of the six images of himself that Grindelwald was forcing. He focused on one, giving his image a tactic and instructions, before a pain forced him to move to another. He was being mentally over whelmed. Grindelwald's images where acting as individual fighters, whereas Saarin's all followed a single generic strategy, something Grindelwald was using to his full advantage. Suddenly Grindelwald's images faltered, all seeming to pause for several moments. Saarin's images managed to defeat all but one in that brief time. In the real world Saarin's plan had come to fruition. He had not been trying to hit Grindelwald with his rapid spells, rather he had transfigured the leaf litter at Grindelwald's feet into fifteen very realistic scorpions, which had started to crawl up his legs and where stinging him, they didn't have lethal venom, even Charles Potter had never managed to produce such perfect transfigurations, but their stings did burn rather painfully. The real Grindelwald, thinking quickly, created a spell that sent a ripple of power down through his body. The scorpions where blown apart and away from his body, he knew better than to leave any blood that wasn't his own on him. Saarin used this time to defeat the last mental image, and fortify his outer mental defences, he probably wouldn't be so lucky if that happened again.

"So Grindelwald, decided that two masters are one too many?" Saarin asked, circling Grindelwald who was walking side ways as well, the blood fire having burnt out.

"Yes. You've been holding me back, Saarin, all this nonsense about just the desire for knowledge, it's power we should be after!"

"No. You don't need to use knowledge to dominate, that's what you've always failed to see."

"No! It is you who fails to see. You can't see how great we could be! My master knows the truth! We should being ruling this world!"

"I am your master!"

"Not any more!" As Grindelwald said that he threw a cutter at Saarin. Saarin spun out of the way, but it caught the back of his hand, cutting deep. As Saarin completed his turn, he raised his hand and blew the blood welling on top of it. As the drops flew into the air Saarin muttered a quick chant to send them at Grindelwald. He manipulated his blood, turning them into needles mid flight. Grindelwald dodged, knowing how hard it was to stop blood magic with a shield, the one against the blood fire had drained him badly. Saarin changed the shape of the blood missiles again, making them change direction as well. Grindelwald's look of shock was very satisfying.

"You should have chosen me. Cur, now you will die!" Saarin roared in indignation. Grindelwald merely snarled , his hand shot out, pointing at something behind Saarin. Saarin, stepped to the side, thinking he had avoided whatever spell Grindelwald had thrown wandlessly. Suddenly his feet were swept from underneath him by a branch. He rolled to the side, avoiding the branch as it tried to beat him.

"Telekinesis, one of the benefit's of the mind arts." Grindelwald crowed. Saarin looked about him, his blood missiles had buried them selves in the ground, and a couple in Grindelwald's foot, 'Perfect.' Saarin thought. His triggered blood fire on his missiles, the ground exploded in small geysers of fire, one or two from Grindelwald's foot and leg. The branch stopped it's assault. 'Time to end this.' Saarin thought. He wiped his wand through the cut on his hand, snarling at the pain. He aimed his blood soaked wand at Grindelwald,

"_Elementius Arius Theurg!" _Another one of the long and powerful blood magic incantations, but channelled through his blood soaked wand, it's power was magnified ten fold. Saarin felt light headed, as some of his blood blasted towards Grindelwald from the tip of his wand. The stream split into five streams, which changed into five brilliant lines, each the embodiment of an elemental energy, red, white, blue, green, and purple. Fire, air, water, earth, and his spirit, the same colour as his aura when it manifested itself. The five then wound together. A roaring filled the forest, the thundered towards Grindelwald, it's powerful light illuminating the forest brighter than the midday sun ever would. Grindelwald's eyes barely had time to widen before Grindelwald and a hundred meters of forest behind him, was obliterated from the face of the planet. Saarin fell to his knee's, panting and light headed. His wand was smoking and slightly charred, he would need to see if it could be repaired.

"That would have hurt." Grindelwald said from behind Saarin. Saarin spun, finding a very alive, if somewhat battered Grindelwald behind him. It was Saarin's turn to look shocked.

"You dropped your mental defences, and I planted an image of myself in your mind, brilliant wasn't it?" Grindelwald said, answering Saarin's unasked question. Grindelwald looked insufferable smug.

"I think I have chosen the better master, don't you?" Before Saarin could answer, Grindelwald decapitated him with a cutting hex. Saarin's last thought was, 'It can't end like this! My knowledge can't be left in the hands of-' Unfortunately, it did. Grindelwald picked up the head of his former teacher, grinning at the look of shock plastered on it. The next morning an owl delivered the head of Saarin Potter to Charles Potter the second, Saarin's nephew, Harry's grandfather. A week later, the ghost of Saarin appeared in the halls of Potter Manor, unable to leave the world of the living, until it passed on it's knowledge to a worthy pupil.

_**So that's why you're a ghost, you can't rest until you pass on your skills to someone. **_Harry asked after a minute of silence.

_**Yes. **_Was all Saarin said by ways of an answer. Suddenly Harry didn't feel like breakfast any more. Harry looked around the table, every body had shown up at some point during Saarin's memory. Even Tonks was there. He stood up and left the table, his food barely touched.

"Harry..." Remus started.

"Not hungry." Harry said cutting him off. He walked out of the room, leaving several confused faces around the table.

"He's probably just nervous." Kingsley said to Remus.

"Yes, probably." Remus agreed.

"What's he nervous of?" Tonks asked. Remus and Kingsley shared a look, not quite sure of how to answer that.

"You'll have to ask Harry that." Kingsley said.

Harry was sitting in the library, trying to calm down after reliving Saarin's death. His chosen method of relaxation was reading the first of the marauder's diary's. He had decided dairy wasn't the right word, it was more like a mission log. Every so often a circle would accompany an entry, tapping it and saying 'I solemnly swear that I plan no good.' would make a magical photo appear, they were all black and white, or yellow, as the books were made from parchment. The photo's were humorous, to say the least, many were of Snape suffering from different pranks, and Harry couldn't bring himself to feel sorry for the man. He could care what had happened to that snarky git. He was undecided, he wanted to use on of this stuff on Malfoy, and Marietta and several others, but he couldn't see himself returning to Hogwarts, not after everything he had done, not after what he had seen.

_**It is not necessary to go back to Hogwarts, after all, you are the boy-who-lived. I'm sure that they won't try to nail you for under age magic, if you kill Voldemort. **_Saarin said. Harry laughed half heartedly.

_**Really, and so I've been hallucinating all those times Fudge dragged to those hearings? **_

_**Well, maybe I should rephrase that, they wouldn't look for you as hard as they might otherwise, no matter how hard Fudge demands. If you manage to get rid of this little dark lord, you will be able to vanish, and I don't think too many will try to find you. At least not to throw you in jail. **_

_**You are assuming that I will be able to defeat 'this little dark lord' who is so little he was terrorising an entire country before being banished once. **_

_**By a child.**_

_**By a ward placed on the child by one of the most skilled charms mistresses in recent history.**_

_**Immaterial. **_Saarin thought, **_He was foolish once and will be again._**

_**Really, I don't see any charms mistresses willing to throw away their life for me just lying around do you? **_Harry's inner voice sounded harsh and cold, his eyes just slightly clouded.

_**No, but they aren't necessary, not this time, and if you don't calm down, I'll scrub every memory you have of the pink haired thing from your mind. **_Harry calmed, his eyes quickly clearing. As if on cue the aforementioned 'pink haired thing' entered the room. Tonks walked over to Harry, the book lay open on his lap. Tonks sat down next to him.

"Hey Tonks." Harry said softly, his mind still on the conversation with Saarin.

"Hey Harry." The auror said just as softly. They sat quietly for a moment before Tonks spoke up again.

"You know Harry, I never got to thank you for saving me." she whispered.

"It's okay Tonks, really." Harry replied as she leaned towards him.

"No it isn't, and I have just the way to say thank you." she breathed leaning closer still. Harry swallowed, hard.

"How?" He said, trying to call her bluff, while Saarin recoiled from the images running through Harry' mind.

"I'm..." she was really close, "going to..." her breath was hot against his cheek. "Take you shopping." Harry almost cried. That was just plain cruel. Saarin however seemed to be enjoying, his laughter ringing through Harry's mind. Tonks giggled at Harry's shocked look, it was nice to still be able joke, she realised. Harry still looked shocked though, and so she decided to be gentle with him, leaning forward and gave him a quick kiss on the lips, his look of shock changed to one of delight. Inside Harry's head Saarin's laughter fell short, and he grumbled something about the world being full of softies.

"I'm still taking you shopping though." She reminded Harry, who merely shrugged and grinned, not caring what Tonks did with him.

Harry told Tonks where he was going, but not what he was going to do, he didn't want to tell her that, not yet at least. Only telling her that he needed to complete a ritual, and that he would pick her up after it, with the promise of explaining everything then. Tonks seemed a little put out, but agreed, knowing that she could trust Remus and Kingsley to look after Harry. With that, Harry walked into the kitchen and asked if Remus and Kingsley were ready, both men nodded and stood up. Hermione and Ron wanted to know what as going on, Harry just promised to see them soon, and explain everything then. Hermione seemed put out by this, but Ron accepted it easily enough Harry thanked him with a smile and walked to the front door. As soon as they passed the ward lines Remus placed his hand on Harry's shoulder, and Saarin sent both him and Kingsley the directions via legilimency, Harry had already given them permission to enter the manor and it's grounds. Then with the feeling of being pulled through a too small a tube, they disappeared.

Inside Grimmauld Place, Ron and Hermione breathed a sigh of relief, and shared a glance as they pulled out the Daily Prophet they had hidden, it had been delivered while Harry was eating, thank goodness he had been so distracted, the last they need was him going postal again. Dumbledore might have stopped them mentioning him in the Malfoy assault, but that hadn't stopped Rita from writing about him. The head line was:

_Love for the boy who lived. _

_By Rita Skeeter_

_Dear loyal reader, as you know the Prophet..._

The article went one for a long while describing her speculations bout Harry and Tonks, including some information about a conversation at the Ministry, of course no one would question her, the story was too sensational for that, and the details were rather graphic, obvious lies, but to most Prophet readers, those were as good as facts. Harry would not like this at all.

Harry looked up, still dazed from the apparation, he was sure all magical transportation was out to get him.

_**Paranoid are we? **_Saarin thought.

_**Just 'cause you're not paranoid, it doesn't mean that they aren't out to get you.**_

_**Feeling witty are we? **_

_**Shut up. **_Harry said, feeling queasy. Saarin laughed at him. Harry stared up at the building that was Potter manor. It was big... really big, and old.

_**Last reconstruction was done in the early fifteenth century. **_Saarin supplied. Kingsley was in a similar state of shock. Remus however was grinning, remembering the grand old building from his childhood summers partially spent there.

Harry walked bewilderedly through the Manor, following Saarin's directions.

_**It's huge. **_Was all Harry could think, like the Black house, it seemed to go on forever, one room leading to the other, another always appearing even if that should be impossible.

_**In pureblood society it's nearly always a case of 'mine's bigger than yours.' they feel that having a large house is representative of being powerful... Also it always fun to make unpleasant guests walk a few hundred meters to their rooms every night.**_ Saarin said. Harry shrugged, Kingsley and Remus were following him, also marvelling at the house.

_**Are we just going to jump right into the exorcism, or what? **_Harry asked.

_**Exorcisms are complex, I'll need a few hours to set it up. Unfortunately you three will just have to wait until then. **_Saarin's voice had most of it's tone, becoming cool and clipped.

_**He must be very worried.**_ Harry thought privately.

They came to the door, Saarin's wing stood before them, Harry swallowed, wondering what he would find on the other side. He stepped forward, his hand reaching out.

"Excuse me, but this wing is forbidden to you." A condensing voice said from above. Harry looked up at the thing, taking in the features of the man he considered a friend, a protector, and hopefully a mentor, but someone he had never seen. Saarin looked a lot like Harry, or rather Harry looked a lot like Saarin. Saarin had brown eyes, nothing like Harry's, but the hair was the same, messy and midnight black. His face had the hard look of some one who had given up on too many people to care about the masses, it was the look of one who felt beyond consequence.

_**You really should have been on some kind of pill, you know that don't you? **_Harry said in his mind.

"Uh huh, sure, look, I'm just going to do a little bit of exorcism then I'll leave you be." Harry said to the portrait, deciding that Saarin could explain it to himself once he was a ghost.

_**After all I've done for you... How ungrateful.**_ Saarin said in Harry's mind, but there was no venom in it.

"Exorcism? With those two?" The portrait said nodding towards Kingsley and Remus. "Ha, good luck, I'll make sure the house elves clean your remains of the floor. Try not to break anything." It said in a cold voice.

_**Damn I'm a cruel bastard at times. It would probably be true though, if you didn't have me here. **_

_**Great, we're taking advice from a person who thinks of himself as cruel, why do I feel so safe. **_Harry mumbled in his head.

_**You shouldn't judge a man by his portrait.**_

_**Oh, you're a regular philosopher you are.**_

_**Of course, what else is there to do while you're dead? **_Saarin said indignantly

_**Decomposing sounds like a good idea. **_

_**I'm hurt Harry, really, that was truly cruel. **_

_**No, this is cruel. **_Harry thought, bringing up the memory of Tonks kissing him.

_**Shut up, and open the door. The sooner I get out of your revolting teenage head the better. **_

_**You're just jealous. **_Harry said as he stepped through the door into Saarin's wing.

"Whoa." Harry stopped dead in his tracks, the change was amazing. Harry looked back through the door, in that corridor, there the décor was heavy with red and gold, the honour of the Potters, their courage. Looking forward he could see a much more airy design with deep blues, and light silver accents.

_**I said it was an embarrassment to the family that I was in Ravenclaw, but that doesn't mean I wasn't proud of my house.**_ Saarin said in explanation. Harry shrugged, Sirius's room had had Gryffindor touches in it, was this any different? He walked down the corridor the white marble floor with a vein of blue carpet down the centre, he had a job to do.

Harry entered the room, it was nearly bare, this room was where the exorcism would take place. Kingsley and Remus were another room, drinking tea and coffee. Harry had summoned the house elves, and after a rather frustratingly enthusiastic greeting, had managed to gather the necessary materials. He knelt on the cold hard floor and sunk in his mind, Saarin rose up and gently took control of the body they shared. Harry watched his hand pick up a stick of black chalk and watched still, as it started to draw arcane symbols on the floor. He found the seriousness of his movement disturbing, it seemed so much like preparing to say goodbye for the last time, to an old friend.

_**Saarin, this will work, won't it? **_ He asked quietly in his head, from the depths of his mind.

_**Yes, leave it to me Harry, I don't plan on leaving this world yet. Besides what would you do without someone as brilliant as me around?**_ Saarin replied arrogantly. Harry laughed weakly in his mind.

_**Yea, what would I do?**_ ****He thought to himself.

Voldemort reclined in his throne looking out over the sea. It was truly beautiful here.

'Why can't the world be like this? Peaceful and serene, no muggles, no wars, no filth. Just wizards and witches living in a peaceful rule, my rule?' the Dark Lord thought and then suddenly, as if a door to some long lost part of him had been opened, 'I will make it so, I will scrub this world clean, I will bring a shining new era into this world, the era of Lord Voldemort!' He understood now the true beauty such a world would possess, the pureness of it. A world that has never yet existed, with the powers given to him as the heir of Slytherin, he would make it so, for the first time, glorious and new Voldemort's world would be born from the ashes of this old and wasted world.

"Bella!" He called. A woman strode forward, proudly holding her head up facing her Lord.

"Yes Mi'Lord?" She said reverently.

"I have a mission for you." Voldemort said, as he slowly rose from his throne.

"Yes Mi'Lord." She said, her voice growing hushed with longing to please her master.

"We're going to cleanse this world and send those who oppose us to hell." He said simply, as a dark aura enveloped him as he lifted off of the floor, riding pure darkness of his soul and magic towards the door. Bella ran after him, her eyes alight with madness and joy, this is why she loved the Dark Lord, his power and vision, she couldn't live without those things, the absolute truth of his being and his goals, those were all that she needed.

"Separate half of the faithful into groups of ten, have attack the areas and targets we have discussed, I'll be sending one of my pets with each. You and I will take two to the ministry itself. The new era begins on this unremarkable day." Voldemort hissed, his tone calm as he announced the murder of a world. Bella stood still. He had said it. The Faithful, that was the name he had used for his followers at the start of the first war. She remembered the day she joined his ranks, _Have faith in me, and I shall lead you faithful to a new world of beauty never before seen. _That was what he had said to the new recruits, before his own power had twisted him, before they had become the death eaters. Had he returned? With her eyes more alive than ever before she stood, tonight her Lord's visions would start to be born, her joy rose up and she felt the most true smile she had ever had spread across her face, tonight much blood would be spilt to feed the Lord's vision. Tonight her joy begins.

"Yes Lord Voldemort!" She said clearly, before turning and hurrying set things in motion, Lord Voldemort was starting to act like the true Voldemort, he was returning to himself. Since the resurrection, he had fallen even further into arrogance, he had never been the same, never had he been like he had in the start of the first war, but tonight she had seen the charismatic, powerful and confident Lord that she had fallen in love with all those years ago, Lord Voldemort was becoming unstoppable again. As she stalked Slytherin Manor's hallways she laughed maniacally, her Voldemort had returned to take this world as his own and cleanse it.

Harry knelt in the centre of the circle, Remus seven meters in front of him and Kingsley seven behind. He gave a nod and said, in a voice that wasn't his

"Begin." Remus and Kingsley placed their hands on the ring and after a seconds pause began to chant. The Latin verses were soft to his ears, but power thrummed through each syllable. Amplified through the magic runes and glyphs that Saarin had drawn, the sound soon lost its meaning, Harry's body bucked involuntarily at the power. The markings on the floor glowed and Harry felt as if his world simply vanished from around him, lost in that brilliant whiteness Harry had no sense of time, nor place, nor self. He simply drifted. Until he fell back to his body.

Harry opened his eyes and stared forward, he was lying on his stomach, the stone was hard beneath his body, He looked up at the ghostly form in front of him.

"Well, it's nice to be back in my own body... Relatively speaking of course." Saarin Potter said to Harry Potter. Harry gave a weak laugh and slipped out of conciousness.


End file.
